Netflix’s ‘One Day’ Perfectly Cast Leo Woodall As Dreamy, Self-Destructive Dexter

When the end credits rolled on Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess’ 2011 film One Day, I sat alone in my college dorm room with my jaw dropped and my eyes profusely leaking tears. No spoilers, but the movie — based on David Nicholls’ 2009 novel — is an emotional roller coaster of epic proportions, especially if you’ve ever had a crush on your best friend. (Guilty.) I swore I’d never rewatch Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew’s chaotic, decades-spanning love story again. But when Netflix dropped the trailer for its 14-episode British series adaptation and I saw The White Lotus‘ Leo Woodall was a lead, I knew I was ready to get hurt again.

For those unfamiliar with One Day‘s plot, Emma is introduced as a stubborn, studious, slightly cynical English major with weighty ambitions. On university graduation day (July 15, 1988 to be exact) she meets Dexter — a popular, charismatic playboy — and the two spend the night getting to know each other. The almost one-night stand marks the start of a life-changing friendship, one we watch evolve by checking in with the intertwined characters every July 15 from 1988 to 2007.

Between more fully fleshed out storylines and the decision to cast British actor and comedian Ambika Mod (This Is Going to Hurt) as Emma, there’s a lot to love about Netflix’s fresh spin on a familiar story. The standout takeaway from the series, however, is that One Day hit the jackpot casting Leo Woodall, who delivers a nuanced, spectacularly swoon-worthy, downright devastating performance as Dex.

Fresh out of uni, Dexter grew up relying on dreamy good looks and effortless charm to get by. With his piercing blue eyes, long lashes, and a contagious smile, Woodall taps into the alluring physical magnetism he had in The White Lotus and drastically dials it up. In intimate moments shared with Emma and Dex’s mom (Essie Davis), the 27-year-old actor quickly establishes his character’s gentle, playful, chivalrous, and warm nature. High-energy and adventurous, he initially comes across carefree, but even in the most privileged positions Woodall subtly conveys a haunting sense of sadness, self-doubt, and unfulfillment in Dex that develops as the series progresses.

As friends, lovers, and everything in between, Dex’s chemistry with Emma (and Woodall’s connection with Mod) is palpable. The 29-year-old actor plays Emma with spunk, self-confidence, and intellect throughout, effortlessly spouting dense dialogue and quick comebacks in each era of life. When Emma’s personal life and relationship with Dex change, she skillfully conveys heartbreak, rage, humor, and longing, as well as the blessing and burden of being irrevocably in love. While Emma copes and perseveres in the face of hardship, however, Dex struggles — and that’s where Woodall really shines.

It’d be easy enough to cast any Hollywood heartthrob and call him Dex, but Woodall’s emotional range is a crucial component of the series’ success. One of the most heart-wrenching episodes opens with Dex numbing his pain through a night of drugs and alcohol, then arriving late the next morning to visit his sick mom. As he mentally struggles to accept her worsening condition, he’s physically reeling from a hangover. He can barely carry her upstairs. He admits defeat and hurls in the bathroom. He knocks back more booze straight from the bottle, falls asleep in his childhood bed, and misses dinner. His parents know he’s strung out and send him home, but once he reaches the train station he uses a payphone to call Emma. Desperation drips from Woodall’s cracking voice and cutting line delivery, and after surviving his one-sided chat with an answering machine he breaks down sobbing in an Emmy-worthy emotional purge.

After growing more detached, Dex reunites with Emma for an insufferable dinner that ends in a blow-out fight. Woodall plays lost, callous, and messy in ways that make Dex unrecognizable to the man we met in Episode 1. As the years pass, his brushes with rock bottom finally force him to clean up his act and become a lighter, healthier version of himself. The finale finds him backsliding after a gut punch so strong it reignites his quest for self-destruction. But after Woodall’s finale performance encapsulates the agonizing stages of grief, he ends on a hopeful note that reminds us again of his remarkable duality.

The emotional demands of a character like Dexter Mayhew are both intense and wide-ranging. The role asks the actor to be lovable one second and loathsome the next. It calls for both scene-stealing, spell-binding appeal, and shameful shortcomings. It requires believably toggling between the two, and in some cases make space for both to exist simultaneously. Whatever the challenge, Woodall rises to the occasion, hitting all the right notes — high and low — along the way and sculpting Dex into a deeply complex, lovable character.

One Day is now streaming on Netflix.