Off Campus star Jalen Thomas Brooks details show’s work with NHL players originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The National Hockey League previously recognized a growth in fans due to the success of a television show called “Heated Rivalry,” however, now focus has shifted to Prime Video’s new hockey series entitled “Off Campus.”
“Off Campus” is a romance series based on a book series by Canadian author Elle Kennedy. One of the main characters — Garrett Graham — who is the star hockey player of Briar University, saw New York Rangers defenseman Vincent Iorio serve as his stunt double. In addition, the entire cast quickly took an interest in the NHL, with the other actors playing hockey players following the likes of young league stars such as Connor Bedard and Jack Hughes to watch their mannerisms both on and off the ice.
Jalen Thomas Brooks also stars in the show — playing the series’ fun-loving character of Tucker who is a winger wearing No. 46 on the Briar U hockey team.
He said that in his journey to transforming into a hockey player for his latest acting role, he actually found a very quick love and passion for the sport.
“Prior to doing Off Campus, hockey was the sport I was least expecting to fall in love with. I [thought] I was never really going to cross paths with hockey. And while I have, I’ve absolutely fell in love with it,” said Brooks.
Vincent Iorio makes screen debut in TV show “Off Campus”
According to Mollie Walker of the New York Post, Iorio filmed his portion of scenes last summer in his home province of British Columbia.
Brooks said that Iorio also gave a lost of the cast members advice for how to approach their on-ice scenes.
“It was just like watching [a lot of] of Jack Hughes, Connor Bedard, and a lot of these young guys coming into the league — they’re just insane. And then Vinny, I can never pronounce his last name, but he plays for the Rangers and so he was one of the stunt doubles for our show,” Brooks said in an interview. “And so we actually got to talk to him, and he got to help us a little bit when he was on set. And it was lovely.”
Jalen Thomas Brooks
Emily Sandifer
All eight episodes of Off Campus’s first season are now streaming on Prime Video, and the series has already been renewed for a second season.
Brooks also said that himself and the cast have already begun training on the ice for season two and have noticed a jump in hockey skill level ahead of filming the second season.
“We had already started training about a month ago for a hockey boot camp prior to shooting the beginning season two,” Brooks said in May. “We could skate a little bit backwards at the beginning of the first season, but now we’re actually able to full on scrimmage and do our times and everything, and rotations and all that. And I can now somewhat skate faster backwards than I can forwards and pick up and do backwards crossovers and everything and get going. And it’s great.”
Brooks’ character of Tucker has a love for cooking in addition to being on the ice. The entire “Off Campus” series is based on the previously mentioned books in Kennedy’s series; Tucker is the lead of the fourth book, “The Goal.” Should seasons continue to him getting his leading season, the former star of “The Pitt” and now-Iorio fan will for sure be seeing a lot more time on the ice.
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