A quick glance at most Gen Z and millennial women's social media feeds reveals them filled with compilations and thirst traps of the internet's latest heartthrob, Garrett Graham. Played by Belmont Cameli, the actor has been catapulted into the public eye after starring in the new hit college romance drama Off Campus. Even Jennifer Lopez has given him a cheeky follow on Instagram.
Following in the footsteps of Hollywood heartthrob Jacob Elordi, who began his career on teen romance The Kissing Booth, Belmont has been working in the industry for almost ten years. He said: 'I've waited a really long time for my chance to be the lead on a TV show.' The wait has paid off, and the show has quickly become the third most-watched debut series in Amazon Prime history.
Viewers are deeply invested in the unexpected love story of the captain of Briar University hockey team and music student Hannah Wells, played by Ella Bright. Based on the novel by Elle Kennedy, Garrett transforms from a notorious womanizer to falling deeply in love with Hannah. If his chiselled abs, dark curls, and cheeky smile were not enough, it turns out that in real life, Belmont, 28, is also a lifesaver—not of one, but seven lives.
How Off Campus Heartthrob Belmont Cameli Saved Seven Lives
Long before making a name for himself on screen, in 2018, Belmont made a life-saving decision to donate one of his kidneys to a childhood friend who needed a transplant. Brendan Flaherty went into kidney failure and needed daily dialysis. However, after undergoing tests, Belmont learned he was not a match for his friend.
While he could not help Brendan, Belmont instead joined a paired kidney exchange programme where incompatible donor-recipients are matched with strangers in similar situations. After undergoing surgery to donate his kidney to a stranger, Belmont became part of a 14-person transplant chain that saved seven lives.
In a resurfaced Instagram post from his surgery in 2018, Belmont shared photos of himself and two of the people he helped. He wrote: 'Yesterday I was blessed with the opportunity and privilege to save a life. The fact of the matter is that most of us have two good kidneys, but thousands of people struggle to live day to day with only one failing kidney. Every day, 20 people die waiting for a kidney transplant. It takes patients an average of 3.5 years on the waitlist before receiving a transplant, and that is only if they are so fortunate.'
He continued: 'Thankfully, after 6 years of strenuous waiting and anticipation, Brendan has been gifted the organ he has so long awaited, and my new friend Clotilde will finally have a healthy kidney and a fresh new start to life. I am so grateful to be a part of this swap program involving 14 people and blessing 7 patients with new organs and brighter futures. Soon my pain will disappear and my scars will fade away, but the love in my heart from this experience will forever remain.'
Rediscovering Belmont's heroic act, fans have gone wild for the news, commenting on the post with love heart emojis and sweet messages. Meanwhile, TikTok is awash with tributes and compilations to Garrett, with fans sharing posts titled: 'Help I can't stop thinking about Garrett Graham' and 'I'm a grown woman this isn't okay'.
Belmont's Journey to Stardom
Landing his first leading man moment has by no means been an easy ride. Born in Illinois, Belmont was not planning on being an actor at all and went to college to study finance. However, after his father tragically passed away when he began his studies, the star realised it was not for him. 'All of a sudden, life felt really short, and it felt really important that I figured out what I wanted to do,' he told The Hollywood Reporter.
Realising he was just doing what he felt he was 'supposed to be doing' and following the trajectory to work in corporate America, he decided to change his path. He explained: 'As soon as I considered what that would look like and that there was a possibility of doing anything else, I got the hell out of there because I knew I was going to be miserable.'
Belmont then began modelling in Chicago, which led to him being signed by an acting agency. He made his acting debut eight years ago with a guest appearance on Empire before landing his first part in the Saved By The Bell reboot. In 2022, he starred in Netflix's romantic drama film Along For The Ride. However, things then took a dip, and during the actors' strike, he only worked a few days across two years, admitting things dried up and he struggled.
It was therefore a big relief when he got the call to star in Until Dawn alongside Odessa A'Zion in 2025, but his big break has truly come with Off Campus. As soon as he booked the role, Belmont hit the ice to convincingly play the ice hockey college star and dived into the role. Counting his blessings, he said: 'There's nowhere else I'd rather be. It's the coolest thing, and I'm hoping this show will garner attention and that may help me in audition rooms and meetings with directors. But what's more important to me is that my reputation says that I'm somebody good to work with.'
