Mika Abdalla on What She Does (and Doesn't) Want to Smell Like—and Off Campus's "Really Intense" Season 2

It was fortuitous timing. The day after I interviewed Mika Abdalla at a party celebrating Miu Miu's new Miutine Intense fragrance, Amazon Prime finally revealed what her fans have been patiently waiting for: the season two release date of her hit show, Off Campus. (ICYMI, it's April 28, 2027.) After posing on the red carpet with the very chic perfume bottle, Abdalla squeezed in time to speak with me before sitting down for dinner, where she and other well-dressed guests sipped on a custom cocktail inspired by the fragrance's notes of blackberry, Bourbon vanilla, gardenia, and patchouli.

We talked about her fragrance green flags, her favorite grounding ritual, and, of course, the next season of Off Campus, which centers on her character Allie's romance with Dean. Scroll down to read my interview.

Which fragrance note is a green flag for you, and which one is an immediate no?

Something I love in a fragrance is if it's feminine, but not too feminine. I don't like anything too sweet. I like scents that have darker, deeper notes to them. Nothing too fresh. I'm not ever wearing a linen or fresh-cotton scent.

What do you love about Miutine Intense by Miu Miu?

What I love about this fragrance is the way that it changes on your skin as you wear it throughout the day. It has floral notes, but it also has richer, deeper notes that I tend to be drawn to. So it kind of feels perfect to me.

What is a small ritual that helps you feel grounded when life gets busy?

I have this bottle of rose oil that my grandma brought me from Bulgaria when I was about 8 years old. It's [similar to what] you get in every gift shop in Bulgaria, but because the oil has been sitting in this little wooden thing for so long, it smells like no other rose oil I've gotten from Bulgaria since. When I'm doing something stressful, I always put a little bit of it on. I combine it with whatever perfume I'm wearing. It smells so much like everything that's ever calmed me down, so I tend to lean on that.

Season one broke multiple viewership records for Amazon Prime. Why should viewers come back for season two?

I mean, season one ends on such a cliffhanger. How could you not want to know what's going to happen with the team and with the couple? There's just so much more to explore. A new drama has begun unfolding.

How would you describe Off Campus season two in one word?

If I had to describe Off Campus season two in one word, it would be intense. It's just really intense.

What's your favorite outfit you've worn as Allie on Off Campus?

My favorite outfit by far was the drunk Shakespeare outfit with the super teeny-tiny corset. That outfit and the J.Lo dress were both made from scratch from a bodysuit, so it was such a labor of love. I went into a million different fittings for it, and watching it all come together and wearing it was incredible. That's my favorite. I just felt like a princess, and I wore that for like three days on set.

What’s the most memorable way a fan has connected with you over Off Campus?

In Brazil, we did a special screening before the show even came out, and so many fans showed up. Three or four of the girls left us bracelets, little handwritten notes, key chains, or charms—things that were not only specific to our characters, but also specific to us. Not only was that our first time really interacting with Off Campus fans, but it was also just so kind and thoughtful and made us feel so loved. They were so sweet and so respectful, and I've kept all of these little trinkets with me in my travel bag.

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