Meet the Characters of One Day In Theatres August 19

Twenty years. Two people... One Day. Directed by Lone Scherfig (director of An Education, Academy Awardnominated for Best Picture), the motion picture One Day is adapted for the screen by David Nicholls from his beloved bestselling novel One Day. After one day together July 15th, 1988, their college graduation Emma Morley (Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess of Across the Universe) begin a friendship that will last a lifetime. She is a working-class girl of principle and ambition who dreams of making the world a better place. He is a wealthy charmer who dreams that the world will be his playground. For the next two decades, key moments of their relationship are experienced over several July 15ths in their lives. Together and apart, we see Dex and Em through their friendship and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. Somewhere along their journey, these two people realize that what they are searching and hoping for has been there for them all along. As the true meaning of that one day back in 1988 is revealed, they come to terms with the nature of love and life itself.

Emma Morley
Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway stars as Emma Morley in One Day. Emma graduates from college on July 15th, 1988. She is a working-class girl of principle and ambition who dreams of making the world a better place. For the next two decades, we see Em through hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears and a friendship with classmate Dexter Mayhew that will last a lifetime.

Anne Hathaway states, I believe in Emma; I wish I knew her. She is a girl that I recognized as true, and I hoped that if I could then everyone watching the film could too. I will always remember the experience of sitting at my kitchen table and reading the script the script seemed like it was on fire, as if lit from within. I was so entertained; all these unexpected things happened throughout. I could envision the whole film so vividly. Anne Hathaway reveals, Shooting on location helps you to embody the atmosphere of the scene and tell the story. I was very excited to be working in London, Paris never disappoints, and we had a great time in Edinburgh. With this crew, I felt like I was taken care of all the time and thank goodness, because of course we didnt shoot in order; there was one day of filming where I shot four different years

Anne Hathaway notes, We had to calculate every decision. What were Emmas habits at different points of her life? It wasnt enough to find a look; we had to ask ourselves, Why did she choose this? or Where was she when she made the decision to cut her hair off?

Anne Hathaway says, As a fellow actor, it was eye-opening to see Jim Sturgess approach to the work; hes very soulful and has an enormous heart and openness about him, but at the same time hes so hard-working and creative. All of his own qualities lend themselves to [his playing] Dexter; Jim brought so much to the part. His Dex is heartbreaking.

Dexter Mayhew
Jim Sturgess, of Across the Universe and 21, stars as Dexter Mayhew in One Day. Dex graduates from college on July 15th, 1988. He is a wealthy charmer who dreams that the world will be his playground. For the next two decades, we see Dex through hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears and a friendship with classmate Emma Morley that will last a lifetime.

Jim Sturgess reflects, Dex was a hard character to pin down, because he changes so much throughout the film and I dont think he really knows who he is. He wants to enjoy life to the fullest. But hes different things to different people, which I feel we all are in life.

Jim Sturgess offers, This story realistically approaches what love at first sight is. The most consistent thing which Dexter remains all the way through the film is being the love of Emma Morleys life. That is a stabilizing force. How, then, does he choose to handle it? This is the journey that he takes in the story.

Jim Sturgess remarks, People would come up to me and ask, Is this bit [from the novel One Day] in the movie? or Who is playing so-and-so? This was the first time that Id played a character who has a strong reference point to others imagination.

Jim Sturgess comments, Dex tells Emma that shes the smartest person I know. Well, theres a lot of Emma in Anne Hathaway. She has an intellectual wit, as has Emma. Shes lovely, and we got on straight away. I was glad to get to act opposite someone who cared so deeply about the story which is a lot of fun but also very emotional and these characters.

Alison Mayhew
Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson plays Alison, mother to Dexter (Jim Sturgess) and wife to Steven (Ken Stott). To Alison, Dex is a sort of passageway back to her youth and she enjoys his antics and his spirit, says Jim Sturgess.

Patricia Clarkson notes, Alison is a colorful character. She has true joie de vivre! Dex is her only child, and shes doted on him. Hes struggling to find his identity, to find happiness, to find love. Its very moving to see where the story takes him.

Steven Mayhew
Olivier Award winner Ken Stott portrays Steven, father to Dexter (Jim Sturgess) and husband to Alison (Patricia Clarkson). Ken Stott says, Steven loves his wife he adores her. They have laughter together. The relationship he has with his son is a difficult one; Steven is a man who will insist that his son make progress. But Dexter is sometimes in trouble.

Sylvie Cope
Golden Globe Award nominee Romola Garai plays Sylvie, who marries Dexter (Jim Sturgess). Romola Garai says, Sylvie is sleek and a little bit formal. Her inner gentleness is masked by a wall of ice. Shes quite controlling, but she does love Dexter. People can relate to Dexs story, and to how a relationship changes.

Ian Whitehead
Rafe Spall, soon to be seen in Anonymous and Prometheus, plays Ian, Emmas (Anne Hathaway) boyfriend. Rafe Spall comments, Ian is well-meaning, sweet, and loving. Hes also a really bad stand-up comedian.

One Day is the story of two people Emma and Dex who should be together, but the world is conspiring to keep them apart. Ians a good guy, but hes the boy she shouldnt be with!