Director Will Gluck on the Raucous, Romantic Theatrical Promise of 'One Night Only'
Will joins Jacqueline Coley to discuss the ingredients of a great romantic comedy, how he shapes his films around his actors’ chemistry, and why he considers John Hughes his “North Star” as a director.
August 06, 2026
Few filmmakers have had a bigger impact on the past 20 years of rom-coms than Will Gluck. From reimagined literary classics like Easy A and Anyone But You to his wry take on situationships in Friends With Benefits, his films are beloved for their witty dialogue, unforgettable chemistry, and astute observations about love and dating. Now he's back at it with One Night Only, a raucously original rom-com about two people looking for love in New York City on the one night a year that premarital sex is legal.
In this episode, Will joins Jacqueline Coley to discuss the ingredients of a great romantic comedy, how he shapes his films around his actors’ chemistry, and why he considers John Hughes his “North Star” as a director. He reflects on giving Emma Stone her big break in Easy A, how obvious it was to the entire crew she was destined for greatness, and why he’s convinced audiences will feel the same way about Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner after seeing them in One Night Only. He also shares how growing up in New York City shaped One Night Only, the world-building production meetings and freezing night shoots that went into making it, and why the film's central contrivance was the perfect allegory for the disconnection of modern dating.
About One Night Only
What if one messy night turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to you?
This summer, Will Gluck, the filmmaker of Anyone but You and Easy A, celebrates modern romantic comedy on the big screen with a fresh, witty, swoony original film about searching for love on the least romantic night of the year.
Academy Award® nominee Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown, Top Gun: Maverick) and BAFTA nominee Callum Turner (Masters of the Air, Fantastic Beasts franchise) star as Allie and Owen, two love-starved strangers who crash into each other in an ever-so-slightly fictionalized New York City on the one night of the year when single people are allowed to have sex.
Recently dumped Owen and hopeful romantic Allie might be the only two singles in the city looking for more than just a quick encounter. They both feel a spark when they meet, but a series of missteps and side quests complicate their night, keeping them apart. As they each race toward and away from each other across the city, they just might discover that the one thing they want most is closer than they think.
The film’s electrifying cast includes Maya Hawke (Stranger Things), Julia Fox (Uncut Gems), indie pop sensation King Princess (Nine Perfect Strangers), Ben Marshall (Saturday Night Live), Ziwe (Baited with Ziwe), and screen legends Molly Ringwald and Levar Burton.
One Night Only is directed and produced by Will Gluck, based on a script from Travis Braun. The film is produced by Will Gluck through his company Olive Bridge Entertainment, and by Olive Bridge VP Jacqueline Monetta (exec producer, Anyone but You).
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