Searchlight Pictures easily has one of the most emotional and poignant films of the year with Rental Family. The movie, directed by Hikari, stars Brendan Fraser (who fans will see back in Mummy 4) as Phillip Vanderploeg, a struggling American actor in Tokyo who finds himself working for a Japanese "rental family" agency run by Takehiro Hira's Shinji Tada and Mari Yamamoto's Aiko Nakajima.
While this "rental family" agency is a foreign concept to America, the company begins to have Phillip play a role in someone's real life, rather than on a screen. The situations that unfold lead him to discover purpose, belonging, and a deeper understanding of human connection.
The Direct's Russ Milheim spoke with Rental Family stars Brendan Fraser and Takehiro Hira about the film, including the complicated nature of the human condition, the unique filming experience they had on production, and how great their co-star Shannon Gorman was. Rental Family hits theaters on Friday, November 21, 2025.
Rental Family Star Takehiro Hira on the Human Condition
"I Wouldn't Appreciate This So Much If I Didn't Have That Hard Time."
- The Direct: "The movie puts such a creative spotlight on humanity's desire for connection and happiness, and the trappings that can come with that. Do you think those downsides are something that can be avoided, or is it simply part of the human condition?"
Takehiro Hira: I guess it's the whole package, like, the two sides of the same coin. And just because, if you have that, you know, the bad side, you appreciate more, when something good happens. So you can't really have one thing and just enjoy [it].
I mean, for example... I started working in the US, like, five years ago. When I first started out, COVID happened, [and then] the strike and no money. And I was struggling to pay the next month's rent, and then now with, you know, one thing led to another, and I'm here, and it's just like, I wouldn't appreciate this so much if I didn't have that hard time.
Brendan Fraser Praises the Unique Experience of Making Rental Family
Fraser Made Sure to Give High Praise to His Co-Star Shannon Gorman As Well.
- The Direct: "Comparing it to everything you've done in your career, when you were on this movie, at any point in the process, what was the most unique experience that you guys went through?"
Brendan Fraser: Making this film was. By being in Tokyo, working with Japanese filmmakers, actors, all the crafts, all the locations, everything. That was unique for me. I hadn't worked there before. I'd visited Tokyo a couple of times, but never in a capacity to be able to have a first-person experience of being welcomed in a place like that and make a movie at the same time. So that's what I'd say.
The Rental Family star also made sure to praise his co-star Shannon Gorman, who plays Mia Kawasaki in the film, the little girl whom Fraser's Phillip is pretending to be her dad:
Fraser: And also [working] with Shannon Gorman. She's a find, yeah, hadn't acted before, which is good, because it showed she's so engaging that we had to actually stop her from rehearsing, because we didn't want her to play her game in the locker room. You know, be good and point the camera at her, yeah. But she's a proper actress anyway, we've learned since, and she can deliver a performance along with the best of them.
The entire interview with Takehiro Hira and Brendan Fraser can be seen below:
Fans of Takehiro Hira should keep an eye out for Shogun Season 2 on FX, as he's expected to return to his role of Ishido Kazunari.
