Brendan Fraser: The Tokyo Shoot That Changed His Life | Rental Family Set Stories

Video Description

Brendan Fraser takes us inside the making of Rental Family, sharing why Japan’s landscapes, culture, and filmmaking community made the project unlike anything he’s experienced before. In this exclusive Brendan Fraser interview, he breaks down the film’s emotional heart and the real-life world of Tokyo’s rental family agencies. In Rental Family, Fraser plays Phillip, a writer tasked with helping an aging actor—played by acclaimed Japanese performer Akira Emoto—preserve his legacy. Fraser explains how filming in Tokyo with a team of Japanese filmmakers shaped the story’s authenticity, from shooting among sakura blossoms to capturing the city’s sense of solitude and connection. He also highlights newcomer Shannon Gorman, who was nine during production, praising her natural instinct and precision as a first-time actor. Fraser discusses director Hikari’s grounded, clear storytelling approach, his own process of learning enough Japanese dialogue to be convincing on screen, and why navigating Shinjuku’s 7-Elevens became a personal adventure. Through it all, he reflects on how the experience offered its own “moment of renewal,” mirroring the themes at the core of Rental Family. Watch our full behind-the-scenes conversation as Fraser dives into the film’s craft, culture, and the quiet revelations that came with shooting in Japan. 0:00 Introduction – Brendan Fraser on Rental Family 0:29 Choosing the cherry blossom set 1:07 Working with Akira Emoto 1:43 How rental family agencies inspired the story 2:10 Shannon Gorman’s natural talent 2:52 Director Hikari’s approach 3:23 Feeling like a foreigner in Tokyo 3:47 The real purpose of rental family agencies 4:17 Learning Japanese for the role 5:04 Brendan’s on-set routine 5:57 Exploring Shinjuku and convenience-store culture 6:46 What Japan gave back to him 7:09 Filming the bridge scene 7:36 The beauty of cherry blossoms Our Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/collider/ www.x.com/Collider Our Website https://www.collider.com For copyright matters, please contact us at: [email protected] #rentalfamily #brendanfraser #collider