LOS ANGELES - Chris Hansen has seen plenty of predators in his day, but he’s reserving a different kind of praise for Robert Pattinson. The former To Catch a Predator host says the actor’s portrayal of him in the upcoming drama Primetime is a “pretty good imitation,” a nod that carries weight from a man who spent years watching people try to hide their true selves on camera.
“I’ve watched a lot of performances in my life, most of them not voluntary, and Rob’s is certainly one of the more convincing ones,” Hansen told reporters at a press event ahead of the film’s September 11 release. “He got the cadence, the stare, the way I hold a folder. It’s a little strange seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes, but I’ll take it.”
Directed by Lance Oppenheim, Primetime revisits 2006, when Hansen was at the height of his NBC investigative fame, setting out to make television history with sting operations that exposed men seeking underage encounters. The film, which runs 110 minutes, is described as a crime-drama-thriller that peels back the pressures and moral complexities of that era - both for Hansen and the crew behind the scenes.
Pattinson, known for his chameleon-like transformations from The Batman to Good Time, trades his usual brooding intensity for Hansen’s measured, almost calm demeanor. The result, according to early buzz, is an uncanny channeling of a man who became a cultural touchstone for vigilance. Hansen, who has seen the film, offered a more detailed breakdown of what Pattinson nailed.
“It’s not just the voice or the glasses. It’s the stillness,” Hansen said. “Rob understood that the show wasn’t about chasing people. It was about waiting. And when he sits down across from those guys, you feel that waiting. I told him after a screening, ‘You’ve got my walk down better than I do.’ He just laughed.”
The film’s supporting cast includes Merritt Wever as Lynn Keller, a producer wrestling with the show’s ethical boundaries, and Skyler Gisondo as Dan Plumb, a young field producer following Hansen’s lead. Anna Faris steps in as Mary Joan Hansen, the host’s wife, while Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine, and Eric Rahill round out the ensemble. The film marks Oppenheim’s first major narrative feature after his acclaimed documentary work, a shift that Hansen says was the right call.
“Lance didn’t want to make a hagiography or a hit piece,” Hansen explained. “He wanted to show the machinery. The hotel rooms, the lighting rigs, the nervous producers whispering in my ear. That part is very real. People forget that behind the moral clarity on screen, there was a lot of chaos.”
Hansen’s real-life role in the 2006 story was seismic. His Dateline NBC segment drew record ratings but also ignited fierce debate about entrapment and the ethics of public shaming. Several subjects of the sting took their own lives, and the backlash eventually contributed to the show’s cancellation. Primetime reportedly does not shy away from those shadows, offering a portrait of a man who believed he was doing good while the world questioned his methods.
Pattinson, who has not publicly commented on the film since its festival premiere earlier this year, previously described Hansen as “a quintessentially American character” in an interview, praising his “unshakable sense of purpose.” Hansen, for his part, seems amused by the attention.
“People keep asking me if I’m worried about how I come off,” he said. “I’ve been on camera for 20 years. I know who I am. Rob doesn’t have to flatter me. He just had to be truthful. And he was.”
Hansen also noted that Pattinson spent weeks studying his old episodes, even visiting Hansen’s office to review notes from the original stings. “He wanted to know what I was thinking before the camera rolled, not just during,” Hansen said. “That’s the difference between an actor and a mimic. Rob is an actor.”
Primetime opens nationwide on September 11, 2026. The film is in English and hails from Hollywood-based production. Early reviews have praised Wever’s grounded performance and Oppenheim’s tense pacing, though most of the attention has centered on Pattinson’s transformation. Hansen, who will not be attending the premiere due to a scheduling conflict, said he plans to watch it again with his family.
“It’s odd to see your life play out as a movie,” he said. “But if anyone had to play me, I’m glad it was Rob. He’s got the jacket right, too.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
