Belmont Cameli: From an Unknown Young Actor to Hollywood’s Rising Star, the Journey Behind His Success Is Capturing Attention.

For Belmont Cameli, success has never felt like a straight line. Like many young actors trying to build a lasting career in Hollywood, he understands that the biggest turning points often arrive unexpectedly, shaped by seemingly insignificant choices made months or even years earlier. It is an idea that resonates deeply with the actor at this stage of his life and career, particularly as audiences discover him in Until Dawn, the big-screen adaptation of the beloved horror video game franchise built around the concept that every decision can alter the future.

When speaking about his current chapter, Cameli appears remarkably grounded for someone experiencing one of the busiest periods of his professional life. Rather than discussing red carpets or industry accolades, he is more interested in talking about the room where he spends much of his free time. Behind him sits a wall covered in vinyl records, not merely as decoration but as evidence of a personal passion that has become an important creative outlet.

“I collage record covers,” Cameli explains. “Wherever I am, I’ll go to the dollar bins, grab as many as I can just based on the artwork, and then I glue them down, frame them, or just pin them up. I’m working on a really big one for my bedroom right now.”

The collection consists largely of records that have been deemed too damaged to play, giving them a second life as artwork. For Cameli, the practice has become a way to unwind amid the uncertainty that often accompanies an acting career. The records he actually listens to remain downstairs near his record player, while the studio-like space serves as a place where he can create, relax and occasionally experiment with music. A drum set nearby hints at another artistic interest that exists outside the public eye.

This sense of balance seems increasingly important as Cameli navigates a period of growing visibility. In recent months, he has found himself attached to two very different projects that have helped showcase his range. One was The Alto Knights, directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robert De Niro, while the other was Until Dawn, a horror film that has introduced him to a new audience.

“It’s been a really good time,” he says. “In the past two months, I had Alto Nights come out, which I did with Barry Levinson and Robert De Niro — that was really special, especially sharing it with my friends back home. And then Until Dawn just came out last weekend, and promoting that has been so much fun, especially with the cast — all four of whom are like my best friends.”

Yet Cameli is careful not to romanticize success. He knows how quickly momentum can shift in Hollywood. Since moving to Los Angeles at the end of 2019, he has experienced periods of uncertainty that tested both his patience and his confidence. The pandemic arrived shortly after his relocation, disrupting countless careers throughout the entertainment industry and forcing many actors to rethink their futures.

“I’ve been through multiple lulls in my career, including the pandemic,” he says. “I got out to L.A. at the end of 2019, so I’ve known a lot of ups and downs. Right now, I’m on an upswing, which is great, but mostly I’m just staying present and enjoying myself.”

That perspective reflects the maturity of an actor who has learned not to define himself solely by professional achievements. Although still early in his career, Cameli has already demonstrated a determination to avoid being confined to a single category. Since making his television debut on Empire in 2018 and later gaining wider recognition through Netflix's Along for the Ride, he has actively sought opportunities that challenge expectations.

“I’ve always wanted variety,” he explains. “I find myself somewhere between the leading man and the character actor categories, and I love that space. Comedy, romance, period drama, horror — they all teach you something different.”

The philosophy is evident throughout his growing filmography. Rather than pursuing a singular image, Cameli appears more interested in exploring different corners of storytelling. It is an approach that may ultimately prove valuable in an industry increasingly defined by reinvention.

One project that remains particularly meaningful to him is Saved by the Bell, which provided his first substantial television role and introduced him to collaborators who remain close friends today. Looking back, he speaks warmly about the relationships formed during that period, especially with co-stars Josie Totah, Dexter Darden and John Michael Higgins.

“John Michael Higgins is basically my comedic north star,” Cameli says. “I love him so much. It’s been really meaningful to see how we’ve all grown and stayed connected over the years.”

While Cameli has worked across multiple genres, horror occupied a special place in his imagination long before he ever stepped onto the set of Until Dawn. The genre fascinated him as a teenager, offering a unique combination of fear, excitement and emotional release.

“I’m a huge fan of horror and I have been ever since I was a teenager,” he says. “I don’t remember how old I was, but I snuck out of the house and went to the theatre to see Sinister with Ethan Hawke. Someone told me they did research on what’s the most disturbing horror film that raises your heart rate the most, and apparently, that’s it. It was the first one I saw, and I sat in the front row. I’ll never forget how exhilarating that experience was.”

Years later, that fascination would become professional reality when he joined Until Dawn. Adapted from the acclaimed video game, the film embraces many of the elements that made the original such a success while introducing a new cinematic interpretation. For Cameli, the project represented his first major opportunity to immerse himself fully in the horror genre.

One of the production’s most distinctive characteristics was its commitment to practical effects. Rather than relying heavily on computer-generated imagery, the filmmakers invested in elaborate prosthetics and physical transformations that created a more tangible atmosphere on set.

“We worked with tremendous artists, especially in prosthetics,” Cameli recalls. “They built four or five life-size silicon replicas of my body to desecrate onscreen, which was really fun.”

His character, Abe, occupies a unique position within the story. Unlike the other members of the group, whose relationships are rooted in longstanding loyalty and friendship, Abe enters the dynamic as something of an outsider. His connection exists primarily through his relationship with Nina, making him less emotionally invested in the group's collective survival.

“The four loyalties are between the rest of the characters, and Abe is only recently added to the group via his relationship with Nina,” Cameli explains. “He doesn’t have the same patronage to these characters. He doesn’t feel hell-bent on protecting anybody but himself. His selfish, self-involved nature actually makes it more likely he’ll survive. He’s cerebral, he thinks highly of himself — he’s a psych major — and he’s not afraid to hurt anyone’s feelings because he doesn’t particularly care about them.”

For an actor who enjoys complexity, Abe offered an appealing challenge. Rather than portraying a conventional hero, Cameli had the opportunity to embody someone whose flaws often generate tension among the group. He immediately recognized the dramatic possibilities.

“It was really fun to play that friction,” he says. “I think when I first read the script, I thought, ‘Ooh, this is good — I get to bring the friction.’”

Filming took place over approximately five months in Budapest under the direction of David F. Sandberg. The experience was physically demanding, requiring long hours, extensive makeup applications and repeated exposure to artificial dirt, blood and various special effects.

“We were in the same clothes the whole time, because it’s one night,” Cameli recalls. “We had probably sixty different versions of that costume. And we were constantly covered in dirt, blood, you name it. There were only maybe a handful of days where we were clean on set.”

Long before cameras began rolling, however, Cameli had already undergone one of the production’s more unusual preparations. In order to create the practical effects required throughout the film, he submitted to a full-body casting process involving plaster and silicone molds.

“The first thing I did was go to Toronto, where they covered my body in plaster,” he says. “It heats up; you feel like you’re in a sauna, and you break an incredible sweat. That takes about thirty minutes. Then for the arms and head, they do them individually with blue silicone. They leave holes just for your nose. It takes thirty minutes — your eyes are closed, you can’t see anything, can’t really hear — but I found it very zen. I almost fell asleep!”

Despite the darkness of the material, one of Cameli’s strongest memories from the production involves the friendships formed among the cast. Spending months together in Budapest created an environment where genuine bonds developed both on and off camera.

“I can’t say enough about how incredible these folks are, as people and actors,” he says. “Michael Cimino is the sweetest person alive; I love him so much, he’s like a little brother to me now. Ella Rubin is like a little sister. Odessa A’zion is one of the craziest, funniest people I’ve ever met. And Ji-young Yoo is the scream queen.”

Their connection extended beyond filming. Once Cameli learned how beloved the original game was among fans, he decided to explore it himself. Production eventually provided the cast with a PlayStation console, turning many evenings into informal gaming sessions.

“I wasn’t familiar with the game when I first read the script,” he admits. “But when I reached out to my friends who game, I quickly realised how much it meant to them and how popular it was. Once we got to Budapest, production got us a PS4. We all stayed together, and the cast would come over and play. Honestly, it’s nearly impossible to play that game by yourself because it’s scary as shit — but with a chorus of opinions on the couch behind you, it’s even harder!”

The experience reinforced his appreciation for horror as a communal genre. Unlike quieter dramas that encourage introspection, horror often thrives on shared reactions. Cameli believes Until Dawn succeeds because it invites audiences to experience fear, laughter and surprise collectively.

“It’s an exhilarating film to watch in a theatre with your friends,” he says. “It’s the kind of movie where someone inevitably blurts something out early on, and then it’s fair game — people are screaming, laughing, reacting together.”

As his career continues to evolve, Cameli remains focused on avoiding predictability. He is not interested in repeating the same role indefinitely, nor does he appear eager to become trapped within a single genre. Instead, he continues searching for opportunities that challenge him creatively.

“I have my sights set on playing a villain — that would be really fun,” he reveals. “Next, I have something I can’t talk about yet, but I’m very excited about it. More than anything, I look forward to diversifying my characters. It’s the most fun for me to work on projects that are different from the last.”

Outside his professional life, Cameli remains notably private. Unlike many actors of his generation, he rarely courts controversy or seeks attention through social media. There have been no major public scandals attached to his name, and little is known about his romantic life. Instead, conversations about him tend to focus on his work, his friendships and his growing reputation as a versatile performer capable of moving comfortably between genres.

For now, Belmont Cameli appears content to embrace uncertainty. The same butterfly effect that fascinates him in Until Dawn has, in many ways, defined his own journey. A move to Los Angeles, an unexpected pandemic, a breakthrough role, a horror film shot in Budapest — each decision and circumstance has led him somewhere new. As he enters a period of increasing visibility, he seems less concerned with controlling the future than with remaining open to whatever comes next. If his recent trajectory is any indication, that willingness to evolve may prove to be one of his greatest strengths.