When David Nicholl’s best-selling One Day bought the big-screen remedy again in 2011, producers determined so as to add just a little star energy within the type of A-lister Anne Hathaway.
But, it was the miscasting of the Hollywood actress because the down-to-earth, Yorkshire-born Emma Morley that noticed the movie grow to be a essential flop, with many deriding her try at a northern accent.
Ahead of the brand new Netflix collection, bosses spent months scouring the nation and placing tons of of hopefuls by way of their paces to search out the right forged for his or her new 14-part tv adaptation.
They finally settled on Ambika Mod to play the function of Emma – solely to be left disenchanted when she turned the half down, the Mail can reveal.
Hertfordshire-born Ambika, 29, who made her title within the BBC drama This Is Going to Hurt taking part in pupil physician Shruti Acharya, initially determined she didn’t need the job.
Netflix One Day star Ambika Mod , 29, has revealed she initially refused the function as Emma after the character was beforehand performed by Anne Hathaway within the movie unique again in 2011 (pictured Ambika and co-star Leo Woodall)
Anne Hathaway beforehand performed Emma Morley alongside Jim Sturgess as Dexter Mayhew, nevertheless the movie grow to be a essential flop, with many deriding her try at a northern accent
The star defined she discovered it was a ‘massive, massive undertaking’ given Emma was beforehand performed by a white actress.
She stated: ‘It was definitely originally written as white and previously played by a white actress. I’m actually excited to carry one thing new to the function, I hope that younger ladies who don’t see themselves on display that always see that it’s attainable.
Ambika admitted she wouldn’t have landed the function ten years in the past on account of her pores and skin color, saying: ‘I’m very completely different to Anne Hathaway, so I used to be by no means frightened about that. Just the truth that I’m not white and I’m attending to play Emma.
‘I don’t suppose that may have occurred ten years in the past. That in itself is a method to modernise the story.’
Starring alongside Leo Woodall as Dexter, the well-known story is about over 20 years and follows the complicated, ‘will-they-won’t-they’ relationship between the pair, going down on St Swithin’s Day yearly.
Ambika labored carefully with lead scriptwriter Nicole Taylor to search out the perfect model of Emma that may work on the small display.
The actress ‘gives a damn good script note,’ in keeping with Nicole.
‘I’m a author and I can’t flip that facet of my mind off ever. I bought to know her so properly,’ defined Ambika.
Ambika defined she discovered it was a ‘massive, massive undertaking’ given Emma was beforehand performed by a white actress.
Film insiders predict Ambika and Leo will grow to be world stars off of the again of the much-anticipated collection
‘I just really, really love Emma and always wanted to do right by her.’
Ambika, the daughter of Indian immigrants, was then paired with Leo, who was nonetheless unknown on the time having not but appeared on the Sky Atlantic collection, The White Lotus.
He was solely the second actor that she learn the script with and producers shortly observed their ‘perfect chemistry.’
And now movie insiders predict that they’ll grow to be world stars off of the again of the much-anticipated collection.
Ambika admitted that the pair instantly had ‘a really natural rhythm… a really good vibe.’
Despite taking part in an Essex lad within the critically-acclaimed HBO present, West London-born Leo, 27, stated he’s truly ‘very middle-class’ and is a descendent of silent movie star Maxine Elliott.
‘I come from privilege, and privilege definitely plays a part in Dexter’s life,’ he stated of the parallels between him and his character.
He stated the chemistry with Ambika was there right away as they simply ‘clicked and it worked.’
Ambika admitted she wouldn’t have landed the function ten years in the past on account of her pores and skin color, saying: ‘I’m very completely different to Anne Hathaway, so I used to be by no means frightened about that. Just the truth that I’m not white and I’m attending to play Emma’
Ambika made her title within the BBC drama This Is Going to Hurt taking part in pupil physician Shruti Acharya
Leo performs Dexter within the collection, however was unknown on the time of casting as his function within the Sky Atlantic collection The White Lotus (pictured) was but to be broadcast
After studying they’d each bagged the roles, they went for a drink as they ‘knew that what we were about to take on was a big thing and we needed to lean on each other.’
The two then labored with intimacy coordinators for the love scenes as Leo defined: ‘When Ambika and I started doing those scenes, we’d already constructed up a belief and a friendship that made it extra comfy and a safer house’.
The writer of the unique e-book David Nicholls, 57 says he’s comfortable that the movie has now discovered the suitable ‘format’ to suit the story, with Netflix’s huge funds that means they might movie everywhere in the world.
‘The perfect form for the book adaptation is the TV series, particularly since the advent of streaming,’ he stated. ‘Now we have a form that fits the actual novel.
‘You can now alter the length of the episodes, that’s been good as a result of a number of the days are extra eventful than others. One episode a day and make it so long as it must be.’
He added: ‘The economics of streaming mean that you can afford to go to Paris and Rome and Greece, as the book does.’