Mika Abdallah and Steven Kalin, best known for their roles as Allie Haze and Dean Di Laurentiis on Prime Video’s Off Campus, star in Quinn’s three-episode immersive original audio romance, Rent Free. This is the second duet by Quinn Originals, following Hudson Williams and Connor Story’s “Ember & Ice.”
A preview of episode 1 is available now on Quinn. Episodes 1 and 2 will premiere on May 27th at 9pm PT.
“Rent Free” follows two diametrically opposed characters, Nora, a “spunky, charismatic, and earnest painter” living in New York City, and “Jack, a brash, infuriatingly charming former athlete turned investment banker,” who “work together to overcome the growing pains of graduating college.”
“24 Within hours, Nora’s life falls apart: she is cheated on, loses her apartment, and suddenly has nowhere else to go. With no other option, she moves in with her best friend’s brother, Jack. Jack’s life is built on a routine of work, gym, and casual sex. But what starts as a temporary arrangement quickly turns into something much more complicated. “‘Rent Free’ immerses audiences in a euphoric romance about an apartment, two diametrically opposed rooms with no boundaries.”
“Users immediately responded to the chemistry between Micah and Steven on screen. The connection they bring to this story feels exciting, intimate, and authentic. It was the perfect combination for this type of immersive duet experience,” said Caroline Spiegel, Quinn’s founder and CEO.
Der Spiegel launched Quinn in 2021 with a mission to redefine erotica through immersive storytelling. The following year, Quinn Originals was introduced. This was the most cinematic of their works, an intimate experience performed by acclaimed talent. In the recent original production, he was voiced by Sean Hatosy and Christopher Blainey. These two names caught the attention of Karin and Abdallah.
“I had heard about Quinn before when I saw Chris Briney on it and did a little research. I found it to be a graphic but beautiful storytelling app, and I knew I wanted to be a part of this. This sounds great,” he says with a laugh.
Meanwhile, Abdallah was watching a video about Hatsy, with whom he worked on “The Pit.”
“Fans identify so much with Dean and Allie. They’re a spicy couple and this is a bit of a tease for things to come,” Kaling says of their “off-campus” pair, introduced in season one and further explored in season two. Abdallah added, “Both characters have very specific facades that they use to negate their attraction to each other. They both fall into vulnerability and then retreat in fear. And I think it’s really fun to show that to the world.”
“We’re too careless in modern love. People don’t express their feelings and desires fully, so it’s really fun to see these stories about desire. We have to start yearning again.” To which Karin replies, “Bring back the yearning! 2026–don’t stop the yearning!”
Abdallah is also well aware that romance has been adapted in different ways.
“I realized how different people have different tastes in romance. There are a lot of tropes and subplots and things that other people like to see, but everything that’s written is happening to someone else,” she says. Karin added, “You’re right. This story makes you feel seen and heard. And who doesn’t love a story where people fall in love?”
On Tuesday, Prime Video announced that “Off Campus,” based on the book by Elle Kennedy, reached 36 million viewers in its first 12 days, making it the third most-watched debut series in the app’s history.
Check out the exclusive photos below.
