The Parentingbrings its hilariously haunted story to the screen, through, in no small part, its wildly talented cast. The 2025 Max film follows a young couple who decide the time has come to introduce their respective parents to one another. To make this happen, they book a lovely house for the weekend and drag everyone out for a getting-to-know-you vacation. If contrasting personalities weren’t enough, things grow all the more complicated as it becomes clear that there is much more to the house inThe Parentingthan meets the eye.
This 2025horror-comedy filmcomes from director Craig Johnson and is written by Kent Sublette, known for his work onSaturday Night Live.The Parenting, which streams on Max beginning July 15, 2025, is all outrageous comedy with those delicious additions of horror and suspense. Pulling such a premise off is no small task, andThe Parentingowes everythingto its outstanding cast, which includes prominent names like Lisa Kudrow, Dean Norris, Brian Cox, Edie Falco, and more.
Nik Dodani As Rohan
Date Of Birth: June 03, 2025
Actor Nik Dodani began acting on screen in 2008, but he had his break playing Harry in Lisa Kudrow’sThe Comebackin 2014. From there,Dodani gained wider notoriety playing Zahid Raja in the Netflix comedy seriesAtypicalfrom 2017 to 2021. During that time Dodani claimed roles in several movies, includingDark Was the Night(2018),Escape Room(2019), andDear Evan Hansen(2021). Some of Dodani’s more recent projects includeStrange World(2022) andTwisters(2024).
Twisters(2024)
Praveen
Dodani plays Rohan inThe Parenting, who decides with boyfriend Josh to rent a beautiful old house so their parents can become better acquainted. This already awkward situation becomes even worse when Rohan, Josh, and their parents discover that the house is haunted.
Brandon Flynn As Josh
Date Of Birth: July 19, 2025
Miami-born actor Brandon Flynn broke into acting in 2016 playing Mike inBrainDead, but he rose to fame in 2017 playingJustin Foley in Netflix’s13 Reasons Why—a role he held until 2020. From there, Flynn broke into film with roles inLooks That Kill(2020),Hellraiser(2022), andThe Senior(2023). Flynn’s TV roles during that time includedTrue Detective(2019),Ratched(2020), andManhunt(2024).
Manhunt(2024)
Edwin Stanton Jr.
Flynn plays Josh inThe Parenting, the boyfriend of Rohan who agrees to book a vacation with both their parents to help them get to know one another a bit better. Of course, the get-away weekend doesn’t turn out how anyone expected.
Lisa Kudrow As Liddy
Date Of Birth: August 02, 2025
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Lisa Kudrow developed her career appearing in sitcoms through the 1980s and early 1990s, until she claimed her first recurring role playingUrsula Buffay in the 1993 seriesMad About You. This ultimately tied intoKudrow’s massively popular place among the primary cast ofFriends(1994 to 2004). During this time and beyond, Kudrow appeared in a variety of prominent movie and TV projects, includingRomy and Michele’s High School Reunion(1997),The Comeback(2005),P.S. I Love You(2007),The Girl on the Train(2016),Long Shot(2019),No Good Deed(2024), and more.
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion(1997)
No Good Deed(2024)
Lydia Morgan
Kudrow plays Liddy inThe Parenting, Cliff’s laid-back wife. Liddy goes on a weekend away to an old house to get to know her son’s boyfriend and his parents.
Dean Norris As Cliff
Date Of Birth: July 03, 2025
Indiana-native Dean Norris began his career with the TV showTremors: The Seriesbefore claiming spots on a wide variety of movies and TV shows.Norris became widely known for playing DEA agent Hank Schrader inBreaking Bad, a role which he held from 2008 to 2013. From there, Norris claimed a primary role in the 2013 seriesUnder the Dome, which ran until 2015, and the TNT comedyClaws(2017 - 2022).Some of Norris' recent movie roles includeThe Hustle(2019),Unfrosted(2024), andThe Six Triple Eight(2024).
The Six Triple Eight(2024)
General Halt
Norris plays Cliff inThe Parenting, husband to Kudrow’s Liddy. Though Cliff and Liddy are far more laidback than Frank and Sharon, a parent-weekend at a poltergeist-haunted house effectively challenges their resolve.
Brian Cox As Frank
Date OF Birth: June 04, 2025
Brian Cox’s impressive acting careerstretches back to 1961, but his rise to on-screen fame began with the 1978 BBC2 dramaThe Devil’s Crown, in which he played King Henry II of England. This eventually led to a wide variety of movie and TV roles, with some of the most notable including,Manhunter(1986),Braveheart(1995),The Borne Identity(2002),Deadwood(2004 - 2006),Zodiac(2007),Rise of the Planet of the Apes(2011),Churchill(2017)The Etruscan Smile(2018), andSuccession(2018 - 2023).
Succession(2018-2023)
Logan Roy
Cox’scharacter in The Parentingis Frank, who is married to Sharon and quickly clashes with Liddy and Cliff during their weekend away with their respective sons. Though thoroughly traditional, Frank’s entire personality changes when the property’s resident poltergeist possesses him.
Edie Falco As Sharon
Date Of Birth: July 26, 2025
New York City native Edie Falco began her career on the stage to great success, but she gained wider recognition for playing mob wife Carmela Sopranoon the massively successful HBO TV series,The Sopranos. Today, Falco is also recognized for playing the lead in the Showtime seriesNurse Jackie, which ran from 2009 to 2015. Some of Falco’s notable movie roles includeFreedomland(2006),The Comedian(2016), andAvatar: The Way of Water(2022).
The Mother(2023)
Eleanor Williams
Falco plays the uptight Sharon inThe Parenting.Sharon is the wife of Cox’s Frank, whose possession at the old rental property puts the entire weekend into a creepy (but hilarious) freefall.
The Parenting Supporting Cast & Characters
Parker Posey as Brenda- Parker Posey, best known forParty Girl(1995),Dazed and Confused(1993), andThe House of Yes(1997), plays Brenda inThe Parenting, the property manager responsible for the film’s haunted setting.
Vivian Bang as Sarah- The part of Sarah inThe Parentingis played by Vivian Bang, who is best known forSullivan & Son(2012 - 2014),Swedish Dicks(2016 - 2018), andWhite Rabbit(2018).
