New futuristic sci-fi series The One begins on Netflix on 12 March, after filming in Bristol with support from our Film Office team.
The eight-part series produced by Urban Myth Films in association with STUDIOCANAL, filmed in Bristol in late 2019 and early 2020. Filming also took place in Cardiff and Newport.
Bristol Film Office have yet again proved how accommodating they can be to make sure the process of scouting, prepping and shooting a series in the city goes smoothly. Their support was fantastic and has helped us nurture an ongoing relationship that we hope can continue.
Producer Adam Knopf
The One is set five minutes in the future, in a world where a DNA test can find your perfect partner – the one person you’re genetically predisposed to fall passionately in love with. No matter how good your relationship, which one of us can honestly say we haven’t thought about whether there is someone better out there? What if a hair sample is all it takes to find them? The idea is simple, but the implications are explosive. We will never think of love and relationships in the same way again.
Hannah Ware (The First) stars as Rebecca, the ambitious and impulsive CEO and founder of MatchDNA, a company that pairs people with their soulmates. Dimitri Leonidas (Riviera) is James, Rebecca’s best friend and co-founder of MatchDNA until he abruptly departed at the height of the company’s success – and only she knows why. Amir El-Masry (Industry) is Ben – best friends with James and Rebecca, though he’s always seen Rebecca as more than a friend.
Stephen Campbell Moore (War of the Worlds) is Damian, one of MatchDNA’s investors, and Wilf Scolding (Game of Thrones) plays Ethan, Rebecca’s partner – together, the loved-up face of MatchDNA.
Diarmaid Murtagh (Vikings) plays Connor, Rebecca’s Head of Security at MatchDNA, whilst Lois Chimimba (A Discovery of Witches) is Hannah, besotted with her husband Mark, played by Eric Kofi-Abrefa (Harlots) but haunted by the fear that he will eventually leave her for a MatchDNA partner. Pallavi Sharda (Lion) plays Megan, a beautiful and charismatic new acquaintance of Hannah’s. Zoë Tapper (Liar) plays Kate, a straightforward and sceptical Detective Inspector at the Metropolitan Police, and Gregg Chillin (A Discovery of Witches) plays irreverent Detective Sergeant Nick.
A host of Bristol locations were used for exterior filming, including Colston Street near the top of Christmas Steps, outside the Marriott Hotel on College Green, Moon Street in St Paul’s and Broad Street in Bristol’s Old City area.
Interior filming took place at the Ironworks café on Broad Street, Pata Negra on Clare Street, Dela coffee shop on Easton’s Mivart Street, Bristol City Yoga studio on
Backfields Lane in St Paul’s and a Stapleton Road supermarket.
Bristol properties were also used for the homes of key characters. A harbourside apartment at Westgate on Caledonian Road provided the location for Megan’s flat, a residence on St Werburgh’s Mina Road was the interior of Kate’s flat and a property on Southville’s Greville Road was the location for Amy’s home.
Based on the psychological thriller of the same name by John Marrs, The One is created, written and executive produced by BAFTA award winner Howard Overman (Misfits, Crazyhead, Atlantis) and exec produced by Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy for Urban Myth Films.
Other Urban Myth Films titles filmed in Bristol include the 2016 E4 and Netflix comedy horror series Crazyhead starring Susan Wokoma and Cara Theobold, and two series of FOX TV’s War of the Worlds starring Gabriel Byrne and Elizabeth McGovern, the second series of which is due to air later this year, also featuring Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People).
Urban Myth Films is currently filming Sky Original thriller Extinction starring Paapa Essiedu, at locations across Bristol.
The One premieres globally on Netflix on 12 March.