This Actor, Not Ella Bright, Will Headline Season 2 Off Campus

Mika Abdalla is set to headline season two of Off Campus, and the actress says she’s more than prepared for her big moment. The 26-year-old star has officially been confirmed as the leading lady of Prime Video’s hit hockey romance series alongside co-star Stephen Kalyn, whose character Dean Di Laurentiis will take center stage in the upcoming season. The announcement follows months of fan speculation after the series secured an early season two renewal ahead of its debut.

The actress began working at just six years old after attending a casting call at her dentist’s office in Dallas, Texas. What started as a magazine cover shoot quickly turned into a career she instantly fell in love with.

“They put me in a purple polka dot dress, put a little blush on me and curled my hair, and I remember thinking, ‘This is awesome. Can I do this for the rest of my life?’” she told The Hollywood Reporter.

From there, Abdalla got an agent, a manager and eventually relocated to Los Angeles. She started building a steady acting résumé throughout her childhood and teen years. But she admits that there were moments when she questioned whether acting was truly something she wanted for herself or simply the path she had always been on. 

After starring on a children’s television series for three years, Abdalla briefly stepped away from acting at 17 to attend UCLA. She hoped college would allow her to experience a more traditional young adulthood, but the break didn’t last long.

The temporary pause ultimately gave Abdalla a stronger sense of control over her career. Once she turned 18, she began receiving emails directly from her agents and managers, allowing her to become more selective about the projects she pursued.

“I took that as my opportunity to be a kid, just do school and be a girl in college and have fun. That lasted about six months, and I was like, OK, never mind. I can’t. It was actually really helpful to have that little break. I turned 18, and all my emails started coming to me from my agents and manager. I gained a little bit of agency over the work, and I learned how to be more selective with the things that I wanted to do,” says Abdalla. 

That clarity eventually led her to Off Campus, Prime Video’s adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s wildly popular romance novels that exploded across BookTok and social media. Abdalla stars as Allie Hayes, the free-spirited aspiring actress and best friend to season one lead Hannah Wells, played by Ella Bright.

Mika Abdalla Auditioned For Hannah

Ironically, Abdalla originally auditioned for the role of Hannah before casting directors redirected her toward Allie.

“When I got the audition for Hannah, I read The Deal pretty quickly,” Abdalla explained, referencing the first book in Kennedy’s series. “Then when I got deeper into call backs and chemistry reads, I read The Score. I loved them.”

As Off Campus continues gaining momentum online, Abdalla admits the show’s viral popularity still catches her off guard. 

“I don’t even seek it out. My entire Twitter… I can’t open any of my social media in public because it’s so embarrassing. It’s just my face everywhere,” she joked. “I look so self-absorbed, but Off Campus is my life right now. I can’t help it. I’m seeing whether I want to or not.”

Mika Abdalla On Working With Stephen Kalyn

Abdalla says she had a feeling from the first audition that she and Kalyn would eventually lead season two if they got the roles.

“I truly love working with Stephen so much,” she said of her co-star. “We’re very similar actors in our insecurities and doubts.”