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\'One Day\' series and movie posters
\'One Day\' series and movie posters
Netflix + IMDb
Culture > Entertainment

4 Differences Between The ‘One Day’ Movie & Netflix Series You Might Not Have Noticed

Eileen Flaherty

If you’re looking for a new TV series to start that will make you laugh, cry, and yearn for a SO, you should check out One Day on Netflix. If this title sounds familiar to you, odds are you’re probably familiar with the 2011 romance/drama movie One Day starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess. If you have yet to watch the movie, I highly recommend doing so before watching the show. 

One Day is no stranger to adaptations. It all started with the novel One Day published by David Nicholls in 2009. Shortly after, the story was adapted into a film with Hathaway and Sturgess. And let me tell you, it’s a great book-to-screen adaptation. Now, you can watch another version of One Day, episodically.

The One Day series stars Ambika Mod (Emma) and Leo Woodall (Dexter). It’s  very similarly structured to the 2011 film, but there are subtle differences. If you’re unfamiliar with the plot of One Day, allow me to fill you in. Emma and Dexter meet on their graduation night and quickly develop a bond that keeps them in each other’s lives. The two see each other every year on July 15 to reunite and connect for the next twenty years. It’s a clever concept, but also something that will make you question a whole lot of things. 

If you’ve watched the film and finished the series, here are some differences you may or may not have noticed. Spoiler Warning: Spoilers for One Day follow. 

There are no fake English accents.

Anne Hathaway, I adore you. You will always be famous. However, Hathaway’s English accent in One Day was something I couldn’t get behind. I’m not the only one who thinks this, either. Following the film’s release, critics could not get past “the awfulness of her fake Yorkshire accent,” according to Reuters. 

Mod, on the other hand, does not have to worry about facing any critiques for her accent because she is British. So, as much as I love Hathaway in the film, listening to Mod’s voice is nicer. I said what I said! 

Things get more sexual in this version. 

Personally, if I’m watching a romance movie/TV series, I want there to be a good amount of sexual tension/sex scenes. Sue me! While I loved the chemistry between Hathaway and Sturgess, Mod and Woodall take things to the next level in the series. 

The series covers a lot more than the film adaptation.

One of the key differences between the film and the series is that the series covers more of Nicholls’ novel. The episodic format helps the series stay as true to the book as possible, spanning the entirety of twenty years between Em and Dex throughout fourteen episodes. The film, on the other hand, covered eighteen years, so viewers get more insight into Em and Dex’s story in the series. 

Emma’s death is not as jaw-dropping. 

Emma’s death in the film adaptation of One Day is shocking. That bus comes out of nowhere, and she goes fully airborne and has a tragic, shocking death.

Emma’s death in the series, as shocking and sad as it is, appears as more realistic. She gets hit by a car, as opposed to a bus. It’s still sad and out of nowhere, but not as jaw-dropping as the film. 

If you need a new show to start, One Day might just be for you. Grab a box of tissues and a few snacks, because odds are you’ll binge-watch it. 

Eileen is a senior at Fairfield University who is studying Communications with minors in English, Professional Writing, and Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies. She has a passion for magazine writing and hopes to pursue a career in the field. Eileen is the Entertainment & Culture Intern at Her Campus where she covers all things pop culture, entertainment, and internet trends. Eileen was formerly a National Writer for Her Campus from April 2023 - January 2024. Eileen is one of the Campus Correspondents (CCs) at Her Campus' Fairfield University chapter. She oversees the entire chapter and works with her other CC to curate ideas and events for HCFU. She also mentors and trains the editorial team and helps create content and boost engagement alongside the social media team. In her free time, you can find Eileen creating new Spotify playlists, getting a sweet treat with friends, or obsessing over Taylor Swift. If she isn’t doing that, you’ll likely find Eileen with her six best friends from school talking about their “Big Three”: "Normal People," their favorite "Dancing With The Stars" performances, and Greta Gerwig's "Little Women."