Dwayne Johnson Moved to Tears by Brendan Fraser’s Rental Family Performance

Brendan Fraser’s latest turn in the comedy-drama Rental Family has struck a chord with more than a few punters, but it was Dwayne Johnson who found himself unexpectedly emotional after watching a particular scene. During a recent Actors on Actors chat, Johnson opened up to Fraser about how one line in the film hit close to home, especially as he’s currently facing dementia within his own family.

Fraser’s On-Screen Moment Hits Home for Johnson

In Rental Family, Fraser plays Phillip Vandarploeug, who comforts an elderly man living with dementia. Johnson, reflecting on the moment, shared:

I loved the relationship between you two. And I’m dealing with dementia in our family, so I loved this idea that you want to create this moment for him, even if he’s going to forget it, to give him this peace, take him home.

He went on to admit that the scene left him in tears, as it mirrored his own experience. Johnson said:

What you say to him rocked me, because it’s what I said to my dad. It’s your version of “I’ll see you again, my friend.” It just moved me. I was getting emotional — I was crying!

It’s not every day you hear about the People’s Champ getting choked up by a film, but Fraser’s performance clearly left a mark.

Rental Family Earns High Praise from The Rock

Johnson didn’t stop at sharing his emotional response. He also called Rental Family “amazing” and gave a nod to the rest of the cast, especially Akira Emoto, who played the older man with dementia. Johnson described Emoto as “a legend” and remarked:

You feel his power onscreen.

He was also keen on the film’s unique premise, saying:

The movie’s amazing, but the conceit of it is so unique and different.

Directed by Hikari, Rental Family follows Phillip, an American actor who takes on odd gigs with a Japanese agency, standing in as a family member for strangers. As he gets drawn into his clients’ lives, the lines between acting and reality start to blur, and he finds a new sense of belonging and connection.

Fraser on Taking the Role and Finding Meaning

Fraser, best known for his action and fantasy roles, explained why he took on such an offbeat part. When Johnson asked how the script landed in his lap, Fraser replied:

I was just looking for a job, man. It’s all in the title: “Rental Family”? Insert pejorative, cheeky joke here. But it piques your interest. And that’s what this director, Hikari, embraces. She goes toward the prickly side of what that could mean, along with the softer side. The movie lives in between — it’s not cynical. I needed to find something like that.

Pressed further, Fraser said he’d seen the script before his Oscar win for The Whale, and that the award didn’t change his approach:

I think of it two ways. On the one hand, “You better earn this. You got the brass ring but be worthy of it going forward. Uphold the standard if you can.” But also, I felt like I don’t have anything to prove. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to just coast. If anything, I feel like I have to work.

Fraser’s willingness to dive into something different seems to have paid off, with his performance drawing praise from both critics and fellow actors alike. Rental Family is currently screening in cinemas.