Off Campus creator Louisa Levy has spoken out following criticism over the age of actress Ella Bright, who plays Hannah Wells in the hit young adult drama. Based on the Elle Kennedy book series, the show follows the romance between music major Hannah and hockey captain Garrett Graham at Briar University.
Age Difference Sparks Debate
Fans have questioned the nine-year age gap between Ella Bright (19) and her co-star Belmont Cameli (28), as well as whether the show's adult content is appropriate for an actress of her age. In the first book, Hannah is 20, while Garrett is a similar age. Bright was 18 during filming of season 1.
Creator's Response
Speaking to Variety, Levy said: "I had a conversation with Ella before we closed her deal to make sure she knew what was coming. She’d read the book, so she already understood, but I walked her through everything and made sure she was comfortable and confident."
Levy added: "If I had felt she wasn’t ready, I would have pumped the brakes immediately. But she was so game. We have an extraordinary intimacy coordinator, Kathy Kadler - who had conversations with not just Belmont and Ella but with all the actors who had any intimacy work."
Ella's Perspective
Bright herself addressed the intimacy scenes: "I had never done anything intimate on screen before, so obviously there were nerves. But it couldn’t have been a more comfortable set. Belmont is the greatest, we had an intimacy coordinator throughout, and there is truly nothing inherently sexy about filming a sex scene — it is all angles and craft."
She continued: "We were laughing between takes. After every one of those scenes wrapped, we just went and got doughnuts from craft services."
Background on Off Campus
The series follows Hannah and Garrett from their fake romance to a real relationship, covering their first three years after graduation. By the end, Hannah is about 25. Bright was born on November 27, 2006, making her 19 now, while Cameli was born on February 28, 1998.
