''Billboard Dad'' is a 1998 American

romantic comedy film Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Romantic comedy e ...

directed by Alan Metter starring

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986), also known as the Olsen twins, are American fashion designers and former actresses. Mary-Kate Olsen, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Ashley made their acting debut as infants playing Mi ...

. It was produced by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

in collaboration with Dualstar Productions and Tapestry Films (now Screendoor).

Plot

Set in Los Angeles, California, the film revolves around 12-year-old twin sisters, Emily (a surfer girl) and Tess (a member of the high-diving team), as they try various strategies to get their widower father, Max (a talented artist and sculptor), a girlfriend. After their first attempts end in failure, Tess and Emily team up with their friend, Cody, to paint an advertisement on a giant

billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

situated high above

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

. Many women answer the advertisement through letters and through random chance, Max answers a letter submitted by a woman named Debbie. Debbie brings along her friend Brooke as a back-up in preparation for the former's date with Max. Brooke and Max coincidentally meet and take a liking to each other and Debbie agrees they should start dating. At first, Tess and Emily don't like Brooke's son, Ryan, a skater punk boy. But when an elaborate scheme by Max's business manager, Nigel, to break up the romantic relationship between Max and Brooke arises, Ryan and the girls put aside their differences in order to foil the break-up plan.

Cast

Ashley Olsen Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986) is an American businesswoman, fashion designer and former actress. She began her acting career at the age of nine months, sharing the role of Michelle Tanner with her twin sister Mary-Kate Olsen in the ...

as Emily Tyler *

Mary-Kate Olsen Mary-Kate Olsen (born June 13, 1986) is an American businesswoman, fashion designer, equestrian, and former actress. Her acting career began at the age of nine months, sharing the role of Michelle Tanner with her twin sister Ashley Olsen in t ...

as Tess Tyler *

Tom Amandes Thomas Amandes (born March 9, 1959) is an American actor. His best-known role to date is that of Eliot Ness in the 1990s television series ''The Untouchables''; he also played Geena Davis' boyfriend in '' The Long Kiss Goodnight'', and Abraham ...

as Maxwell Tyler *

Jessica Tuck Jessica Tuck (born February 19, 1963) is an American actress, best known for her performances on television as Megan Gordon Harrison on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC soap opera ''One Life to Live'', Gillian Gray in the CBS drama series ...

as Brooke Anders * Carl Banks as Nigel * Ellen Ratner as Debbie * Sam Saletta as Ryan * Rafael Rojas III as Cody *

Troian Bellisario Troian Avery Bellisario (born October 28, 1985) is an American actress and filmmaker. The daughter of producer Donald P. Bellisario and actress Deborah Pratt, she first appeared in her father's film ''Last Rites'' (1988), at age three. After g ...

as Kristen Bulut * Angelique Parry as Julianne * Bailey Luetgert as Brad Thomas * Vincent Bowman as Buzz Cut *

Debra Christofferson Debra Christofferson (born January 9, 1963) is an American actress known for her roles in film and television. She is from Spearfish, South Dakota. Filmography Film Television {, {, class="wikitable sortable" , - ! Year ! Title ! Role ...

as Autumn * Lisa Montgomery as Enola Rubenstein *

Twink Caplan Marianne "Twink" Caplan (born )Moskowitz, Lawrence (December 31, 1974)"Twink Caplan Strange Intrusion In WEEP's Country Music Sound" ''Simpson's Leader-Times''. p. 9. Retrieved June 13, 2025. "Twink, 27, a former actress in New York and ball ...

as Chelsea Myers * Diana Morgan as Katherine Buxbaum * Teresa Caplan as Woman

Reception

The film was rated "Family-Approved" for all ages from the Dove Foundation.

References

External links

*
''Billboard Dad'' website

Review by Scott Weinberg
1998 films 1998 children's films 1998 comedy films 1998 direct-to-video films 1990s children's comedy films American children's comedy films Direct-to-video comedy films Films about twin sisters Films directed by Alan Metter Films scored by David Michael Frank Warner Bros. direct-to-video films Films about father–daughter relationships Films set in Los Angeles 1990s English-language films 1990s American films {{1990s-US-comedy-film-stub