The Real Inspiration Behind Rental Family and the Actors Who Play Roles in People’s Lives

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Hikari’s film, Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser, has a premise that sounds like it could be from a science fiction story. The movie centers on Phillip (Fraser), an American actor in Tokyo who’s struggling to find work. He ends up taking a job as a ‘rental companion’ – essentially, he’s hired to play whatever role someone needs in their personal life. This could be something simple, like pretending to be a grieving friend at a funeral, or more complex, like acting as a supportive best friend or even a father figure. Surprisingly, this isn’t a fictional concept; ‘rental companion’ services are a real and growing industry in Japan, with the first company, Japan Efficiency Corporation, starting up in 1991.

Brendan Fraser was initially surprised by the idea presented in the screenplay for The Whale, which would ultimately earn him an Oscar in 2023. He describes the concept as unusual, but praised the script for offering a sense of connection to those who feel isolated. Fraser believes it allows people to find a substitute for missing relationships and fulfill the human need for companionship, even when loved ones aren’t present. He explains that simply being acknowledged – having someone make eye contact and recognize your existence – can be enough. He notes that, according to one estimate, over 300 businesses offering this type of service currently operate in Japan.

I totally get where the producers, Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev, were coming from at first, but they really started to see how valuable this service could be. Julia put it perfectly – let’s be real, everyone’s missing someone. Especially with the holidays coming up, a lot of us struggle. It just feels so natural to want someone to talk to, someone who understands, or can even offer a fresh perspective. It’s a really universal feeling, you know?

Vaisman remembers a childhood experience that reminds him of the ‘rental companion’ services in Japan. When he was five years old, his father passed away, and his mother arranged for him to have a big brother through the Jewish Federation. This man spent time with him weekly from age twelve until he graduated high school, doing activities like playing baseball and bowling. This is similar to the situation in the film Rental Family, where a mother hires Phillip to play the role of her daughter’s father. However, there’s a crucial difference: Vaisman knew his big brother was a volunteer, but in the film, young Mia (Shannon Gorman) is unaware that Phillip isn’t her real father and that he’s being paid for the role.

Hikari, the director who previously worked on shows like Tokyo Vice and Beef, hadn’t known about the practice of ‘rental companions’ until her writing partner, Stephen Blahut, discovered it during research for their film. She then learned about this established industry, which has been around for decades. Hikari interviewed both the people who work as companions and the business owners – including older men who advise young clients and companies run by women serving only female clients. She also spoke with people who use the services, and found many were embarrassed and reluctant to talk about it.

While rental services offering emotional support aren’t unique to Japan – similar options exist in countries like China, South Korea, and Italy – they’re particularly popular there. Hikari explains this is linked to the Japanese concepts of honne and tatemae. Honne refers to one’s true feelings, while tatemae is the public face presented to maintain social harmony. This often means people feel pressure to hide their true emotions and pretend everything is fine, which can lead to depression. Many struggle to express how they feel, and are afraid of being judged if they do.

I found something really fascinating while watching this film. It touches on this idea of needing safe spaces to be truly yourself, and it’s reflected in a growing trend of ‘rental companions’ in Japan. These aren’t about anything untoward, but rather offering a judgment-free zone where people can explore their feelings and be honest with themselves – what the Japanese call ‘honne’ – without disrupting social norms. What struck me is how seamlessly this fits into the culture. As Hikari, a cultural commentator in the film, points out, the desire to be someone else isn’t strange at all in Japan; it’s actually been a part of the fabric of society for generations, evidenced by the incredible popularity of cosplay. It’s a surprisingly insightful look at self-expression and cultural acceptance.

For his role, Fraser spent a significant amount of time in Japan, where the entire film was shot. He spoke with many foreigners living in Tokyo, the world’s largest city. He observed that many people – expats and others – were drawn to Tokyo for various reasons, like travel, work, or a desire for personal reinvention. They sought a new chapter, hoping to learn and grow from the unique culture and the people around them.

Many stories about people experiencing a new culture focus on how odd everything seems. However, the show Rental Family portrays Japanese culture with respect and realism. This includes the concept of renting companions, though it also honestly shows some of the downsides of these services. One scene highlights the difficulty of truly understanding another culture, with Mari Yamamoto’s character explaining to Phillip that, as a foreigner, he’ll always be an outsider. Japan has very specific rules and expectations, and people generally follow them strictly. For example, jaywalking is rare. The show’s creator, Fraser, wasn’t bothered by this order. He actually found it reassuring, especially given the chaos of the current world.

Hikari understands what it’s like to feel like an outsider firsthand. When she was 17, she spent a year as an exchange student in Utah, attending Jordan High School. She remembers being welcomed despite not knowing any English, and still being close with the friends she made there. That experience of kindness stayed with her and taught her that people will embrace you even if you look or sound different. This inspired her to create Rental Family. She wondered what it would be like to reverse the situation and place a foreigner in Tokyo, and explore that concept.

I was so fascinated to learn about what inspired a key part of Rental Family. Hikari, the researcher, discovered something incredible: the people hired as family members actually form real bonds with their clients, mirroring the connection Phillip experiences in the film. It turns out there’s a whole community of these ‘rental family’ actors, and for many of them, these jobs become more than just work – they create a second family. Hikari explained that a lot of these actors move to Tokyo hoping to build acting careers, but it can be a lonely life. What’s really beautiful is this reciprocal healing: the actors help their clients, and in turn, they find purpose and connection themselves. It’s a truly moving dynamic!

You know, working on Rental Family really got to me. What surprised me most wasn’t just that it deals with loneliness—though it definitely does—but how deeply human it felt. It really shows that even when we’re at our lowest, we can find connection and meaning in the most unlikely places. It’s just bittersweet and beautiful, honestly. I think of Rental Family as a real love letter to Tokyo, but it’s also about loneliness everywhere. It’s like the director wrote it with a delicate touch – imagine cherry blossom pink ink and a beautiful fountain pen, sealed with a kiss. It’s just a really special film.

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2025-11-21 18:07