HIKARI’s Rental Family finds family in the most unexpected places

Brendan Fraser leads a warm story about connection, with the cast, trailer, and current streaming details

Set in modern-day Tokyo, this hidden gem of a feel-good movie explores the universal desire for connection and the ways we find it in unexpected places. Rental Family is a movie that will have you smiling at its sweetness and laughing at its charming wit. Learn more and find out how to watch below.

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What is Rental Family about?

Phillip Vanderploeg, a down-on-his-luck American actor living in Tokyo, discovers a new career opportunity when a “rental family” agency approaches him. The agency offers its customers a service in which actors play stand-in roles for strangers. It’s a heartwarming original story based on a real Japanese phenomenon. Rental Family follows Phillip as he takes on the challenge of acting on a smaller, more intimate scale and becomes entangled in people’s lives in ways he never expected. 

What kind of movie is Rental Family?

It’s an uplifting story about the human need for connection and community, which transcends cultures, countries, and languages. Beautifully capturing the vibrancy of Tokyo, the film is both deeply moving and peppered with delightfully funny moments.

Everything you need to know about Rental Family

Find the movie’s release date, streaming options and creative team below.

When was Rental Family released?

The movie had its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on 16 October 2025, and began streaming on Disney+ on 15 April 2026.

Where can you watch Rental Family?

You can watch now on Disney+ in the UK.

Who is behind Rental Family?

HIKARI co-wrote the movie with Stephen Blahut. She also directed and produced the movie alongside Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, and Shin Yamaguchi.

Rental Family cast & characters

Brendan Fraser as Phillip Vanderploeg

The Oscar® winner plays the movie’s lead, an American actor who’s been living in Japan for seven years and is searching for his next break. 

Shannon Mahina Gorman as Mia Kawasaki

Single mother Hitomi hires Phillip to play the role of Mia’s father. Rental Family is Gorman’s first on-screen role.

Shino Shinozaki as Hitomi Kawasaki

Hitomi is Mia’s mother, doing everything she can to support her daughter while dealing with financial and social pressures. Rental Family is Shinozaki’s first feature film.

Takehiro Hira as Shinji Tada

Tada is the owner of the rental family agency that recruits Phillip. Hira has starred in a number of movies and shows, including FX’s Shogun. 

Akira Emoto as Kikuo Hasegawa

A retired actor who has recently developed dementia. Phillip is hired by Kikuo’s daughter to pose as a journalist profiling his life and career. Emoto has acted in many Japanese productions, including Shin Godzilla.

Mari Yamamoto as Aiko Nakajima

An employee of the rental family agency, Aiko helps Phillip adjust to his new job. Yamamoto also stars in the show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.