Rental Family from HIKARI is now streaming: plot & how to watch

Everything you need to feel the joy of Searchlight Pictures’ Rental Family, including the plot, cast, trailer, and how to stream on Disney+.

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.

Watch The Official Trailer For Rental Family

Stream Rental Family on Disney+ now

Rental Family Is Now Streaming On Disney+

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.

Rental Family: Everything You Need To Know

When was Rental Family released?

The movie premiered in cinemas on November 21, 2025, and became available to stream on Disney+ in Singapore on March 18, 2026.

Where can you watch Rental Family?

You can watch now on Disney+.

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.

Who Stars In Rental Family: Cast & Characters

Phillip Vanderploeg (Brendan Fraser)

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. 

Mia Kawasaki (Shannon Mahina Gorman)

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

Hitomi Kawasaki (Shino Shinozaki)

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.

Shinji Tada (Takehiro Hira)

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. 

Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto)

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.

Aiko Nakajima (Mari Yamamoto)

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.

*Available for residents in Singapore, 18+ only. Location data required to watch certain content. Content available via Disney+ will vary by country/region. Subject to Disney+ Subscriber Agreement, Privacy Policy and Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore. Additional terms, app feature and device restrictions apply. For more information visit the Disney+ Help Centre. © 2026 Disney and its related entities.