After watching Netflix’s One Day, it’s impossible to imagine anyone other than Ambika Mod as Emma. However, she initially turned down the role.
As soon as One Day debuted on Netflix last week (Feb 8), fans praised the show for how well it adapts David Nicholls’ iconic novel of the same name. Not only does One Day stay loyal to the book, but it also perfectly casts the lead couple. Together, Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod bring Dexter and Emma’s will-they-won’t-they love story to life in a really beautiful way.
Now, Ambika has revealed that she had never considered herself as a romantic lead before and still doesn’t feel “attractive”.
Discussing One Day in a new Women’s Hour interview, Ambika revealed that she originally said ‘no’ to auditioning for Emma. Reflecting on what happened when she was asked to audition, she said: “I remember I was sitting on the couch in my living room feeling wiped. I saw the notification come up on my phone and immediately I was like, ‘No, I’m not doing that.'”
Ambika explained: “I love the book. I loved the character. I honestly just didn’t see myself playing that role. I just didn’t see myself playing a romantic lead. It’s not something I really identified myself with, especially being a comedian. I’ve always been the deprecating type and it didn’t sit with me that I would play the girl that the guy fell in love.”
She continued: “You don’t see a lot of brown women on screen being the romantic lead. You never see women like that in that position. It’s happening more and more now but I definitely realise how sort of unique this is. It took well into the process for me to be like, ‘I am this character and I identify with her in so many ways.'”
In a separate interview on the Reign podcast, Ambika said that she never saw herself as “attractive or beautiful” growing up. She said: “I really struggled with feeling comfortable with my own skin at school. That was really tough. I never particularly felt attractive or beautiful. I still really don’t. I wouldn’t say that’s like a characteristic of me.”
Ambika added: “I’ve always felt like I’ve got to be like the funniest, smartest, hardest working person in the room because my looks aren’t going to get me anywhere, which is a double bind in this industry when your looks are to an extent quite important.”
Ambika ended by saying: “It’s been a real, real journey, but I went through a lot of evolution in my early 20s and I became more confident in who I am, especially doing comedy. I found who I was, I found out what my voice was.”
