They play college sweethearts on hit teen TV show Off Campus, but off camera, fans have been speculating that Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli are fighting.
When Off Campus hit screens earlier this year – viewers quickly became obsessed with the yearn-filled ice hockey drama, and particularly with the love story between music major Hannah Wells (Bright) and sensitive hockey player Garrett Graham (Cameli).
To add to fans’ obsession, the Off Campus cast seem to get on great, frequently appearing on each other’s Instagram pages, and Ella has even referred to them as her ‘family’. So, social media sleuths took note when Belmont appeared to remove several pictures of Ella from his profile – seemingly out of nowhere.
Want to know if there’s actually any truth to the speculation? Read on to find out everything to know.
Are Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli in a feud?
Rumours surfaced last month that there might be a rift between Off Campus cast members Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli, when Belmont removed almost all of his Instagram posts with Ella.
Fans were immediately concerned that there was drama brewing between the on-screen lovers and started speculating that Belmont’s girlfriend, TV writer Raina Morris, might be unhappy with Ella and Belmont being close IRL.
Such was the level of furor, Raina even ended up taking to social media to tell fans to stop reaching out. ‘If you are a fan of my boyfriend: Yay!’ she wrote on her Instagram story. ‘Please stop messaging my family members. They are so confused. Write in your diary and then go on a walk instead! Love u.’
As it turns out – this is a prime case of viewers getting a little too parasocial with their faves. Ella and Belmont turned up to the VMAs together, and fully set the record straight.
Admitting that she’s laughed about the speculation with Belmont, Ella said, ‘Oh my god. It is pretty wild. It’s so funny. I mean, it’s really funny because all days I’m on set, I’m with Belmont, so, we’re like in the green room and he’s like, “Have you seen this?” I’m like, “LOL.” Sitting right next to him, scrolling on our phones. It’s like, never happened. It’s so funny.’ When asked about the mysterious Instagram cull, Ella said: ‘I mean, god forbid I wanted an aesthetic Instagram. My bad. I’m so sorry!’
Referring to the rumours, Belmont added, ‘I laugh every time I hear them. I’m happy to put them to bed. I mean Ella and I are extremely close. It’s really entertaining and sometimes fascinating the conclusions people will jump to. That’s certainly not one of them. She’s the best.’
In a previous interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Belmont reflected on the intense attention he’s received from fans. ‘That’s all new and kind of strange,’ he said. ‘Look, if you’re a fan of the show – the thing that I’m so proud of and pour my heart and soul into – then that’s f**king awesome. But the way our show popped, there’s another level to fandom these days, especially with the internet. Sometimes there’s a real venom to the way people put you under microscopes. You feel constantly observed.’
With this exposure, he’s trying to stay in his own lane and avoid the noise where possible. He added, ‘You can say whatever you want about me or people in my life, but it’s not going to affect me because I’m fully aware of what my reality looks like and feels like.’
Take a deep breath out: all is well with Ella and Belmont. Roll on season two of Off Campus!
Lucy Keitley is a writer at Grazia UK, covering news and features. She’s interested in female-focused stories and smart cultural analysis on a wide range of topics, whether that’s a hard-hitting societal trend or reality TV.