LONDON, Oct 17, 2025 — Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser takes on one of his most unconventional roles yet in the Japan-set film “Rental Family”, a heartfelt comedy-drama exploring loneliness, belonging, and human connection. Directed and co-written by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Hikari, the movie follows an American actor stranded in Tokyo who unexpectedly discovers purpose through Japan’s unique “stand-in” family services.
A New Beginning in Tokyo
Fraser stars as Phillip, a once-successful American actor who originally visits Tokyo to shoot a toothpaste commercial but decides to stay after the project wraps. Seven years later, Phillip finds himself aimless and disconnected — until he stumbles into Japan’s “rental family” industry, where professional actors are hired to play friends, relatives, or even romantic partners for clients seeking emotional comfort or social appearances.
Initially reluctant, Phillip slowly finds meaning in his work as he begins to form genuine emotional connections with the people who hire him, challenging his own ideas of authenticity, compassion, and identity.
Brendan Fraser’s Immersive Experience in Japan
Following his Oscar-winning performance in The Whale (2023), Fraser, now 56, said he was searching for a project that would push his creative boundaries. “I was looking for something diverse, something I hadn’t done before,” he explained at the film’s London Film Festival premiere. “When I read Rental Family, it checked all the boxes — a Japanese production, Japanese cast and crew, filmed entirely in Tokyo. It was a first for me, and that made it irresistible.”
Fraser arrived in Japan weeks before filming began, working closely with a language tutor to learn Japanese and immersing himself in the country’s customs and culture.
“We all have to communicate somehow, right?” Fraser reflected. “At the end of the day, we all want the same things — connection, kindness, and understanding. And the Japanese people are so gracious. If I was ever lost, someone would literally walk me to where I needed to go. That gentleness is something I really cherished.”
Hikari’s Vision: Turning Isolation into Connection
Director Hikari, known for her Netflix hit 37 Seconds, said the film draws inspiration from her own experiences living abroad. “I wanted to flip my perspective,” she explained. “I’ve been the foreigner in America, so I thought — what if I told the story of an American navigating life in Japan?”
Hikari said Rental Family explores a growing sense of isolation in modern society, even as technology brings people closer online. “The world feels disconnected,” she said. “I wanted to make a film about the power of real human connection — how people, even strangers, can heal one another.”
A Story of Cultural Empathy and Second Chances
Shot across Tokyo’s neon-lit neighborhoods and serene temples, Rental Family captures both the humor and melancholy of cultural displacement. Fraser’s portrayal of Phillip balances charm and vulnerability, offering a poignant meditation on identity and reinvention.
The film also highlights Japan’s real-life “rent-a-family” services — a phenomenon that reflects both the pressures of social conformity and the deep human need for companionship.
Release Date and Global Rollout
Rental Family will premiere in the United States on November 21, 2025, before a global release in January 2026. Early reactions from the London Film Festival have praised the film for its emotional depth, cultural sensitivity, and Fraser’s career-defining performance.
As Fraser continues his remarkable comeback, Rental Family promises to be both a tender exploration of cross-cultural empathy and a celebration of shared humanity.
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