One Day cast: Meet the characters in the Netflix series
The cast features famous faces from Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, among others.
A new adaptation of David Nicholls's best-selling novel One Day has landed on Netflix, catapulting its lead actors Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall to international fame.
Whilst the 2011 film was criticised for the lack of chemistry between its two main actors – Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess – as well as for Hathaway's poor attempt at a Yorkshire accent, Mod and Woodall have been widely lauded for their performances in the series.
Talking to RadioTimes.com about whether there was a moment in the audition process where he thought he might not be cast in the show, Woodall admitted that he "stopped going to the gym" to make sure he got the part.
"I remember thinking towards the end of the process, because in The White Lotus I was going to the gym a lot and I was kind of hefty, and I remember thinking that Dex can't be a big gym guy," he recalled.
On the same topic, Mod added: "I think as an audition process goes on, and the more that you get through each round, and it becomes more rigorous, you're sort of like, 'Well, they've got to like me,' and you become a bit more confident in that.
"And then, also, you want it so much more, so the fear of not getting it becomes greater. But there wasn't a moment when I was like, 'I'm definitely not in the running for this.'
"Chemistry reads are always bit weird, because it's just hard to know when you come out if you had chemistry with anyone."
One Day tells a heart-wrenching and decades-spanning love story, which is revisited on the same day every year over the course of 20 years, as Emma (Mod) and Dexter (Woodall) navigate the highs and lows of their lives, both together and apart.
Along the way, various other characters play pivotal roles in their lives. So, who else stars in One Day?
Read on for everything you need to know about the actors, who they play in One Day, and what they've appeared in before.
One Day cast: Who stars in the Netflix series?
The main cast list for Netflix's One Day is as follows:
- Ambika Mod as Emma
- Leo Woodall as Dexter
- Jonny Weldon as Ian
- Amber Grappy as Tilly
- Essie Davis as Alison
- Tim McInnery as Stephen
- Eleanor Tomlinson as Sylvie
- Joely Richardson plays Helen Cope
- Toby Stephens plays Lionel Cope
For more information about the cast and characters in One Day, read on...
Leo Woodall as Dexter
Who is Dexter? A good-looking, charming young man who has only ever known privilege and opportunity. But despite an easy start, the years following graduation are not always kind to him. When Dexter meets Emma, the course of his life changes forever.
Where have I seen Leo Woodall before? He's best known for the second season of Mike White's comedy-drama The White Lotus. He is also set to lead the cast of Apple TV+'s upcoming thriller, Prime Target.
Ambika Mod plays Emma
Who is Emma? An aspiring writer who has big plans to change the world following graduation, but she quickly learns that things don't always go to plan. When she meets Dexter, her life changes forever.
Mod, who was born in Hertfordshire to Indian immigrant parents, previously spoke out about how “significant” it is to have a non-white person portray the role of Emma, telling BBC News: "I hope it will open people's minds a little bit. I'm aware how significant it will be to a lot of people, especially young women of colour, young South Asian women in particular."
Where have I seen Ambika Mod before? Most viewers will know her from Adam Kay's BBC medical drama This Is Going to Hurt.
Amber Grappy as Tilly
Who is Tilly? Emma's eternally chipper best friend. They meet at university, and Emma moves in with Tilly for a few years when she moves to London.
Where have I seen Amber Grappy before? You might have watched her in Sky comedy Smothered, HBO-Sky comedy-horror The Baby and BBC Three's Wreck.
Essie Davis as Alison
Who is Alison? Dexter's mum. She's worried he's not on the right path, and she's also a big fan of Emma.
Where have I seen Essie Davis before? Her CV includes Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, The Babadook and Babyteeth.
Eleanor Tomlinson as Sylvie
Who is Sylvie? A long-term girlfriend of Dexter's. "He really wants to impress her family", but they're a tough crowd.
Where have I seen Eleanor Tomlinson before? Most people will know her from period drama Poldark, BBC comedy The Outlaws and Channel 4 thriller The Couple Next Door.
Jonny Weldon as Ian
Who is Ian? An aspiring comedian who Emma first meets while reluctantly working at a Mexican restaurant.
Where have I seen Jonny Weldon before? He's had minor roles in Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon, BBC comedy The Outlaws and soap Doctors.
Tim McInnerny as Stephen
Who is Stephen? Dexter's dad. His relationship with his son becomes strained over the years.
Where have I seen Tim McInnerny? You might know him from Notting Hill, Game of Thrones, BBC true crime drama The Serpent, comedy Ten Percent and ITV crime drama Strangers.
Joely Richardson plays Helen Cope
Who is Helen Cope? Sylvie's mum, who is described as "very competitive".
Where have I seen Joely Richardson before? Joely Richardson is best known for Ryan Murphy's Nip/Tuck, The Patriot and 101 Dalmatians.
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Toby Stephens plays Lionel Cope
Who is Lionel Cope? Sylvie's father. He appears to thoroughly dislike Dexter.
Where have I seen Toby Stephens before? Stephens' credits include Bond film Die Another Day, Jane Eyre (2006) with Ruth Wilson, Netflix's Lost in Space and historical adventure drama Black Sails.
Who else is in the cast of One Day on Netflix?
Rebekah Murrell as Suki Meadows
Who is Suki? Dexter's co-presenter on the live TV show Get In!!, who he accidentally spikes with vodka. The pair have a brief relationship.
What else has Rebekah Murrell been in? Viewers will recognise Murrell from TV series including BBC drama In My Skin and MTV web drama Being Victor.
Mark Rowley plays Mr Godalming
Who is Mr Godalming? The headmaster at the school where Emma teaches.
What else has Mark Rowley been in? Viewers will recognise Rowley from Netflix's The Last Kingdom, in which he played Finan, as well as TV series North Water and Domina.
Tim Preston plays Gary
Who is Gary? He leads the Sledgehammer theatre cooperative which Emma is a part of. He is also one of Emma's early love interests.
What else has Tim Preston been in? You may recognise Preston from the Apple TV+ series Masters of the Air, TV comedy Sneakerhead and the BBC true crime drama Four Lives.
Brendan Quinn plays Callum
Who is Callum? Dexter's best friend from university who plays a bigger role in the series from episode 10 onwards, when Dexter bumps into him at Tilly's wedding.
What else has Brendan Quinn been in? Quinn has previously appeared TV series St Mungo's, Vikings Valhalla, Soft Border Patrol and more.
Adam Loxley as Graham
Who is Graham? Tilly's partner, who is given a larger role in the Netflix series than in Nicholls's novel, in which he largely fades into the background.
What else has Adam Loxley been in? Loxley has previously appeared in Apple TV+ thriller Suspicion, Prime Video's Flack and BBC series Sandylands.
One Day is available to stream now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Looking for something else to watch? Visit our TV Guide or Streaming Guide.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
