'Campus Rivals' Cast: Inside the Star-Studded Ensemble and the Creative Vision Behind the College Romance

Packed with familiar faces and built around a classic college love triangle, "Campus Rivals" quickly became one of Vigloo's standout vertical dramas. Here's a closer look at the star-studded cast and the creative vision that helped the series stand out.

With its college setting, addictive love triangle, and an impressive lineup of familiar faces from the vertical drama world, "Campus Rivals" quickly became one of Vigloo's standout original series.

But beyond the romance and rivalry, the project also stood out for its collaborative approach to filmmaking, cinematic production values, and a creative team determined to push the genre forward.

A Fresh Take on the College Romance

"Campus Rivals" follows Claire Emerson (Vanessa Nottingham), a college student who transfers schools to be with her boyfriend, Chad Miller (Adam Santa Cruz). Her plans are quickly disrupted when she reconnects with Xavier Brooks (Eric Guilmette), an old flame whose return throws her life into emotional turmoil.

The premise embraces many of the elements fans love about vertical dramas—romance, betrayal, and complicated relationships—but Santa Cruz wanted the series to feel different.

Eric Guilmette, Vanessa Nottingham, and Adam Santa Cruz in "Campus Rivals" | Source: instagram/erictaylorguilmette

Inspired by the teen dramas he grew up watching, he envisioned "Campus Rivals" as a vertical series with the energy of a classic CW show while still delivering the fast-paced storytelling audiences expect from the format.

That vision immediately appealed to Guilmette, who joined not only as one of the leads but also as a creative producer. He said the script felt refreshing because it balanced recognizable vertical drama tropes with stronger character development and more natural dialogue.

Adam Santa Cruz and Eric Guilmette in "Campus Rivals" | Source: instagram/adamsantacruz

Meet the "Campus Rivals" Cast

Leading the series is Vanessa Nottingham as Claire Emerson, the emotional center of the story. Caught between her current relationship and an unresolved past romance, Claire carries much of the show's emotional weight.

Both Santa Cruz and Guilmette had worked with Nottingham before and believed she had the range to anchor the series, making her their preferred choice for the role. She ultimately became the platform's top choice as well.

Adam Santa Cruz plays Chad Miller, Claire's boyfriend and one of the two men at the center of the love triangle. Rather than portraying Chad as a straightforward villain, Santa Cruz wrote him as a flawed, emotionally messy character whose motivations feel grounded even when his decisions create conflict.

Opposite him is Eric Guilmette as Xavier Brooks, Claire's former love. Guilmette said he enjoyed playing Xavier because the character wasn't written as another seemingly perfect billionaire hero. Instead, Xavier makes mistakes, struggles with difficult choices, and feels like someone audiences might actually know.

The Record-Breaking Cameo Lineup

The supporting ensemble helps bring the fictional campus to life, with many of its members also making up the series' much-talked-about lineup of cameo appearances.

Among them are Brittany Marsicek as Hannah Myers, Lawson Greyson as Autumn Spencer, Mark Pontarelli as Xavier's friend, Jeff Violette, Drake Clowe, Jack Cathcart, Anthony Laurita, Ryan Bradley Cooper, and Shay Dineen as fraternity members, Natalie Collins, Brooke Moltrum, Rachel Ashley Johnson, and Rebecca Berg as sorority members, Kristine Kay Larsen as a classmate, and Billy Balck as a Lambda Chi fraternity member.

Brittany Marsicek, Eric Guilmette, Vanessa Nottingham, Adam Santa Cruz, and Lawson Greyson in "Campus Rivals" | Source: instagram/adamsantacruz

The series also features appearances by Jessie Gallagher, Ashley Michelle Grant, and Nick Ritacco, contributing to what Santa Cruz and Guilmette said ultimately grew into 21 cameo appearances from across the vertical drama community.

According to Guilmette, the goal wasn't simply to fill the screen with recognizable faces. The team wanted to create an atmosphere that felt collaborative by inviting friends from across the vertical drama industry to be part of the project.

As word spread, more actors reached out asking if they could participate, turning "Campus Rivals" into something of a crossover event for longtime fans of the genre.

Building a Different Kind of Vertical Drama

Behind the scenes, "Campus Rivals" was led by producer Brielle Yuke Li, who produced the series through Luminelle Pictures, alongside executive producer Bomi Song for Vigloo, while Tingting Lyu directed the project.

Santa Cruz and Guilmette also served as creative producers, giving them the opportunity to help shape both the story and the production itself.

Rather than treating the series as another fast-moving production, the creative team encouraged actors to pitch ideas, adjust dialogue, and help develop their characters.

Behind the scenes of "Campus Rivals" | Source: instagram/erictaylorguilmette

Guilmette later reflected that the experience reminded him why he entered the industry in the first place: to have fun, tell meaningful stories, and work alongside friends whose creativity he admired.

That collaborative spirit extended across the entire production. Guilmette praised Vigloo for giving the filmmakers room to explore their ideas, while also crediting Li, Song, Lyu, cinematographer Daniel Farnam, set designer Marcel Andre, and the rest of the crew for helping bring the team's vision to life.

Behind the scenes of "Campus Rivals" | Source: instagram/erictaylorguilmette

Creating the Look of "Campus Rivals"

Although filmed entirely in Los Angeles, the production transformed its locations into a believable college campus.

A church with collegiate architecture became classroom buildings, while several mansions were converted into fraternity and sorority houses.

Instead of decorating only the areas visible on camera, the production team dressed entire rooms, creating a more immersive environment throughout the series.

Music was even played during party scenes so actors could react naturally rather than dancing in silence, helping those moments feel more authentic on screen.

Why "Campus Rivals" Still Stands Out

For Guilmette, "Campus Rivals" ultimately became about more than producing another successful vertical drama. He has said the experience reinforced his desire to help elevate the genre by creating stronger scripts, more collaborative productions, and stories audiences genuinely connect with.

That philosophy can be seen throughout the series—from its character-driven writing and carefully designed college setting to its unusually large ensemble and record-breaking collection of cameos.

While "Campus Rivals" delivers the romance, rivalry, and emotional twists fans expect, it also reflects a creative team eager to show how thoughtful collaboration can help vertical dramas continue to grow.

With the producers already expressing interest in returning for a sequel, the series may prove to be just the beginning of that vision.