10 Fun Facts About 'One Day' You Won't Want to Miss

"One Day", written by British author David Nicholls in 2009, has been one of the hottest-selling novels in Britain for over a decade. Just two years after hitting the shelves, it got the green light for a film adaptation due to loads of demand from producers and fans alike, and obviously Anne Hathaway the Fabulous snagged the female lead role. Fast forward thirteen years, Netflix jumps on the bandwagon with a mini-series adaptation, starring fresh faces Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall, and it's currently blowing up screens everywhere, again.   

The "One Day" media contents have created a cool interplay between the novel, the movie, and now the TV series, keeping fans hooked as they toggle between them to search for connections or just simply enjoy each on its own. 

1. Even though "One Day" feels super real, turns out it's not based on a true story. Nicholls spilled the beans that neither Dexter nor Emma are real people; they're just mashups of different people he has crossed paths with at crucial junctures in his life. 

2. In the book, Dexter and Emma lay down some rules during their vacation in Greece, like not sharing a bed. But Dexter pulls a fast one on Emma. He books a hotel with only one big bed and tells her it's the last room available. Too bad this sneaky yet cute move didn't make it into the movie or TV series. 

3. There's this big moment in the book where Dexter drops the bomb about his upcoming wedding, and he and Emma have a deep conversation in a maze, totally forgetting the world outside. But when they finally step out of it, reality hits them hard, as Dexter's fiancée waits anxiously for him. This scene is a big deal in the novel but sadly got left out of the movie. Luckily, the TV series picked it up. 

4. In the book, Dexter has a sister and so does Emma, but the movie and TV series skip over this detail, making us think they are both the only children in their families. In fact, there are tons of cool bits in the book that didn't make the cut to the small screen, which makes it kinda fun to find them in the book.  

5. The movie throws in an extra scene where Emma asks Dexter to help her move her bed in 1989, which isn't in the book. It's got some deeper meaning because back in 1988, they spent a night together on that same bed, but Dexter has no clue that Emma's still got feelings for him. The bed is like a metaphor for their whole relationship over the past 20 years, and it's a slick addition. 

6. The TV series ditches a subplot from both the book and movie where Dexter's clothes get swiped while skinny-dipping in Greece. This deletion can be seen as its attempt to take a more realistic approach, and honestly, it works because it brings the focus back to the tug-of-war (for love of course) between Emma and Dexter. 

7. In the book, Dexter sleeps with Emma's roommate, Tilly Killick, once. It happens back in December 1992 when Emma goes out to grab some Christmas decorations. Luckily, the TV version skips over this part and keeps Tilly strictly in the friend zone. Tilly gets more airtime as Emma's BFF in the series, and ditching this plot twist keeps things simpler between the three of them.

8. Some fans aren't sure about Mod taking on the role of Emma in the TV series because of her Indian background, but her life story actually matches up pretty well with Emma's. Mod grew up in a small town in England as a daughter of Indian immigrants. She earned a degree in English Studies and has some drama experience as well.  

9. Mod herself wasn't totally sold on playing Emma at first, because she believed that her image was not suitable for the heroine of a rom-com, yet now she has garnered widespread praise. Many media outlets are saying she nailed it even better than Hathaway. Alexander Valentino from Screenrant thinks Mod's performance is "more grounded and realistic" compared to Hathaway's, "[b]oth in terms of acting ability and accent". 

10. Woodall, who plays Dexter in the TV series, has become a fan favorite. Before the show, none of his Instagram posts garnering more than 10,000 likes. But now, they've hit up to 400,000, with people commenting stuff like "Leo for president."