Victoria Lovatsis Pushed Stephen Kalyn to Audition for His Breakout Role in Off Campus
Stephen Kalyn may be winning hearts worldwide as the charismatic Dean Di Laurentis in Prime Video's smash-hit hockey romance Off Campus, but his real-life love story began long before his rise to fame. Behind the Canadian actor's breakout success is his long-time fiancée, Victoria Lovatsis, a content creator and avid fan of Elle Kennedy's original book series. From meeting as high school sweethearts in 2012 to walking the red carpet together in Los Angeles in 2026, here is a complete look at the couple's 14-year relationship and how Lovatsis's spot-on fancasting helped Kalyn land the role of a lifetime.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Stephen Kalyn and Victoria Lovatsis have been together since around 2012, for over 14 years.
- The couple got engaged in early 2024, when Lovatsis shared a photo showing off a diamond ring.
- Lovatsis, a fan of Elle Kennedy's Off Campus books, urged Kalyn to audition for the role of Dean Di Laurentis.
- Lovatsis is a Canadian Instagram content creator with over 254,000 followers.
- Kalyn is set to lead Off Campus Season 2 and has joined the cast of Lionsgate's The Housemaid's Secret.
Profile summary
Full name | Stephen Thomas Kalyn |
Date of birth | April 24, 1998 |
Age | 28 (as of 2026) |
Place of birth | Markham, Ontario, Canada |
Nationality | Canadian |
Profession | Actor |
Fiancée | Victoria Lovatsis |
Who is Stephen Kalyn?
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Stephen Thomas Kalyn, born April 24, 1998, is a Canadian actor best known for his breakthrough role as Dean Di Laurentis in the Amazon Prime Video series Off Campus.
Born in Markham, Ontario, Kalyn played ice hockey from a young age, later becoming more interested in acting. He starred as Danny Zuko in his high school's production of Grease.
He began his career with guest appearances in Canadian television series, including Transplant and Murdoch Mysteries, and in 2023 appeared in the films Warrior Strong and Cascade and the miniseries Essex County.
Kalyn also collaborated with Prime Video on Cruel Intentions (2024) and Motorheads (2025) and earned a recurring role as Greg in Gen V (2025).
His rise accelerated sharply with Off Campus. Premiering in May, with all eight episodes dropping simultaneously, the show brought in 36 million viewers worldwide in its first 12 days of release and now stands as Prime Video's third most-watched debut series of all time.
Most recently, after rocketing to fame with Off Campus, Kalyn joined the cast of Lionsgate's The Housemaid's Secret, starring Sydney Sweeney.
Who is Victoria Lovatsis?
Victoria Lovatsis is a Canadian online content creator and social media star who became widely known as the fiancée of actor Stephen Kalyn.
Her exact birth date and age have not been publicly confirmed, though she and Kalyn are high school sweethearts who likely met as teenagers. Little is publicly known about Lovatsis's personal life, as she has not shared where she works or her professional background.
Her childhood was marked by active participation in sports, especially soccer. She played competitive soccer in youth leagues, including Markham U15 Girls and SC Toronto 98.
Lovatsis maintains an active presence online. Her Instagram account @victorialovatsis has over 254,000 followers. She frequently posts about fashion and her daily life. She attended the premiere of Off Campus with Kalyn in April 2026.
How did Stephen Kalyn and Victoria Lovatsis meet?
The couple's origin story is not detailed in public interviews. Kalyn appears to have been with Lovatsis since 2012, which means they likely met as teenagers in the Greater Toronto Area, where both grew up.
In January 2017, Lovatsis posted a throwback photo to her Instagram of herself and Kalyn embracing on a log, captioned "5 years later and I still love you more than ever," seemingly confirming the couple had been together since around 2012.
How long have Stephen Kalyn and Victoria Lovatsis been together?
The Off Campus star and Lovatsis appear to have been dating since 2012 and got engaged in early 2024. That puts their relationship at well over 14 years as of 2026.
Though it is unclear exactly when they got engaged, Lovatsis shared a photo on her Instagram Stories in early 2024 showing off a diamond ring in front of Kalyn.
The couple have kept the details of their relationship private, though they are engaged.
How Victoria Lovatsis pushed Stephen Kalyn to audition for Off Campus
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This is where Lovatsis's role in Kalyn's career becomes impossible to overstate.
In a May 2026 conversation with Pedestrian TV, Kalyn confirmed that Lovatsis had read all of Elle Kennedy's Off Campus books. After reading The Score, which focuses on Dean's love story with Allie Hayes, Lovatsis said she knew exactly the role he should audition for.
When they announced that the show was happening, she said, 'You need to get Dean. You gotta get that part. That's perfect for you.'
He added in another interview with Elite Daily that Dean is Lovatsis's "favourite character" in the hockey series, making her a fancasting mastermind.
The push came at the right moment. Kalyn originally auditioned for the role of John Logan, portrayed by Antonio Cipriano. He sent in his tape, felt good about it, and then didn't hear much back. "I thought, 'Oh, I guess that's not going to happen. 'And then a couple months later, I think it was April, they sent out a thing for Dean," he said.
The actor confirmed that Lovatsis "has been a huge player in motivating me to get there and get here right now."
Kalyn told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2026: "She actually made a comment on Goodreads years ago," evidence that her love for the books long predated the show's announcement.
Are Stephen Kalyn and Victoria Lovatsis still together?
Yes. Kalyn has referred to Lovatsis as his fiancée in several interviews, and the pair have been photographed together publicly throughout 2026. Victoria Lovatsis and Stephen Kalyn attended the premiere of Off Campus together in April 2026.
The 28-year-old is stepping up to lead the second season of the Prime Video romance series, and with years of actual hockey experience, stints on other Prime Video series, and a little manifestation from his fiancée, he says he is more than ready for the challenge.
What's next for Stephen Kalyn?
Kalyn will be the lead of Off Campus Season 2, which is currently in production. The next batch of episodes will explore Dean's love story with Briar University theatre major Allie Hayes, played by Mika Abdalla.
Beyond Off Campus, Kalyn will play Brock, Millie's lawyer boyfriend, in The Housemaid's Secret. The project marks a major booking for the actor, who is already set to take centre stage for Season 2 of Off Campus. The Housemaid's Secret is set to open in theatres on 17 December 2027.
Kalyn has also signed with CAA, one of Hollywood's top talent agencies, following the success of Off Campus.
FAQs
- Are Stephen Kalyn and Victoria Lovatsis still together in 2026? Yes. Kalyn has referred to Lovatsis as his fiancée in several interviews throughout 2026. She attended the Off Campus premiere with him in April 2026.
- How long have Stephen Kalyn and Victoria Lovatsis been together? The couple appear to have been dating since 2012 and got engaged in early 2024, a relationship spanning over 14 years.
- What does Victoria Lovatsis do for work? Lovatsis has not publicly shared what she does for work. She is known as a Canadian content creator who shares fashion and lifestyle content on her Instagram.
- How did Victoria Lovatsis influence Stephen Kalyn's career? When Off Campus was announced as a show, Lovatsis told Kalyn to audition for the role of Dean after she read the books and said he was her favourite character. That nudge led directly to his breakout role.
- How old is Victoria Lovatsis? Victoria Lovatsis's exact birth date and age have not been publicly confirmed. However, because she and Kalyn met around 2012 and went to high school together, they likely met as teenagers.
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