One Day: full series guide, episode recaps, cast, plot, trailer, interviews, release date and everything you need to know

One Day is a romantic drama adaptation on Netflix that follows two students whose eventful lives intertwine over the years. 

Following on from the 2011 movie, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, this new series of One Day takes a deep dive into the lives of Dexter Mayhew, played by The White Lotus season 2 star Leo Woodall, and Emma Morley (This is Going To Hurt star Ambika Mod), who first meet on July 15, 1988, the day of their graduation. 

The pair agree to stay friends rather than pursue a relationship and the series follows them both on the same day, July 15, over the course of 20 years as they weave in and out of one another’s lives. 

One Day will also star Joely Richardson, Tim Mcinnerny and Poldark's Eleanor Tomlinson, as we witness snapshots of Emma and Dexter’s relationship over the decades and share in their hopes, dreams, squabbles, missed opportunities and tragedies.

So here's all you need to know about the Netflix series One Day…

One Day release date on Netflix

One Day is a 14-episode series that premiered worldwide on Netflix on Thursday, February 8 2024. It's available as a box set now.

Is there a trailer for One Day? 

Yes Netflix has released a trailer for One Day with Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall as the close pals. Take a look below...

One Day plot 

One Day follows students Dexter and Emma who first meet on July 15, 1988, as they are graduating college. There’s an instant connection but as they know they are leaving the following day, they decide to stay friends. Even so, they can’t stop thinking about one another and as the years go by, and they lead increasingly separate lives, we catch up with them on July 15 each year as they grow and change and move together and apart. 

One Day cast — Leo Woodall on playing Dexter Mayhew

Starring as Dexter in One Day is Leo Woodall who says of how the series starts: "The meeting with Emma is initiated by Dexter. He sees this girl, he’s instantly fascinated by her, and he’s got the bravado to just walk up and instigate it. I think they realise early on, either consciously or unconsciously, that they connect."

On finding out he was playing Dexter in One Day, Leo explains: "I’d had many different rounds of auditions, as Ambika did, and I was kind of exhausted by the end of the process. When I finally got the call to say I had the role, I just laid on the floor and exhaled - then later, I got very excited!

"I don’t really dress like Dexter, so there were definitely days when I was really aware of the period element of the 1980s and 1990s, and there were a couple of dodgy haircuts!"

* Leo Woodall hit worldwide fame in 2022 for playing British stud Jack in the HBO/Sky Atlantic series The White Lotus season 2. Leo has also starred in Vampire Academy, Cherry and Holby City. He’s also due to star in Prime Video's 2023 series Citadel and the film Nomad.

Ambika Mod on playing Emma Morley

Emma is played by Ambika Mod, who says: "The beginning of their relationship is really lovely, because they both gain something from each other. In the first episode you see how Emma can be quite brittle, and Dexter rebounds all of her teasing. On the flipside, I think Dexter feels grounded by Emma.

"It definitely wasn’t lost on us how loved these characters are. We did our best, and it’s really lovely that we’re basically dedicating an episode to all of the major chapters in the book, bar a couple. Emma and Dexter’s relationship is so iconic, and it felt really fun to bring that to life."

* Ambika Mod starred as Shruti in BBC1 series This is Going to Hurt. She’s also been in I Hate Suzie, Trying and The B@it. 

Eleanor Tomlinson as Sylvie

Eleanor Tomlinson plays Dexter’s partner Sylvie in One Day. The actress shot to fame in Poldark, playing Demelza. She’s also starred in The White Queen, Jack The Giant Slayer, The Illusionist and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. More recently she’s starred as Gabby in BBC One comedy drama The Outlaws, The Nevers, The War of the Worlds, Intergalactic and Love Wedding Repeat.

Who else is starring in One Day? 

Toby Stephens and Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck) play Sylvie’s parents, while Essie Davies and Tim McInnerny are Dexter’s mum and dad. Jonny Weldon plays Emma's one-time boyfriend Ian. Stephen Whitfield (The Suspect), Amber Grappy and Brendan Quinn also star.

Behind the scenes and more on One Day

One Day writers are Nicole Taylor (lead), Anna Jordan, Vinay Patel and Bijan Sheibani. Directors Molly Manners, Kate Hewitt, John Hardwick, Luke Snellin. Production company is Drama Republic, while executive Producers: Roanna Benn, Jude Liknaitzky, David Nicholls and Nicole Taylor and series producer is Nige Watson.

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