When I think about celebrities' reasons for working out for roles, their looks and abilities to perform a given task come to mind first. On Off Campus, the actors who play hockey players had to get in shape to both look like collegiate athletes and perform the hockey scenes. However, Belmont Cameli, who plays Garrett Graham on the 2026 TV schedule hit, revealed another reason why he had to “put on mass” to play his hockey player that surprised me.
Belmont Cameli, Antonio Cipriano, Jalen Thomas Brooks and Stephen Kalyn -- they play hockey players and housemates Garrett, Logan, Tucker and Dean, respectively, in this book-to-screen adaptation -- had to train before filming the show. Kalyn was the only one with prior hockey experience, so the other three had to learn how to play the sport. They also worked out to get in hockey player shape, as Cameli explained to Men’s Health:
The hockey player body type is not really one thing. When I booked the role, I mean, I had to learn how to skate; that was the first thing. But as far as my physique goes, my goal has not been to drop down to 5 or 6% body fat; it’s just been [to] put on mass.
Now, why was his main goal to put on mass? Well, while I’m sure it helps him look fantastic and perform on the ice, it also helps him stay safe. Explaining why he builds mass while working out for Off Campus, Belmont Cameli said:
Hockey players are taking hits all the time. The heavier you are, the better. And I take hits all the time because I skate fast into the boards, because sometimes I can’t stop. So, the more meat I have on my bones, the safer I am.
I know hockey is a very physical sport, and it’s demanding on the body. So, I totally see what Cameli is saying here. By building mass, he can take hits better (whether he’s being hit by other players or running to the boards). While he and his castmates might not be playing legit hockey, they are still on the ice and simulating games, so they need to be able to perform like they play the game, take after take.
They also need to be ready for the wear and tear that comes with it; by gaining mass and getting in better physical shape, they are able to be “safer,” as the Garrett actor put it.
So, yes, working out and putting on mass like this helps Belmont Cameli look like a college hockey player and makes workout montages (à la that Top Gun: Maverick football scene), intimate moments and shirtless scenes in the show (because this is also a sexually explicit Prime Video program) look great. However, it also helps them prevent injury.
While they’re fictional hockey players, they’re still out there, on the ice, skating and ramming into people and the boards. So, it’s important that they train in a way that makes it so they don’t get injured easily.
Now, to go see how all this hard work paid off, you can stream Off Campus with an Amazon Prime subscription.
