Chris Hansen Gives His Verdict on Robert Pattinson’s Portrayal of Him in ‘Primetime’

Few real-life figures have had quite as public a reaction to their own onscreen depiction as Chris Hansen has to A24’s upcoming drama-thriller ‘Primetime.’ The former Dateline NBC broadcaster has spent weeks publicly weighing in on the film, which dramatizes his infamous run as host of ‘To Catch a Predator,’ the hidden-camera series that made him a household name in the 2000s.

Hansen’s commentary has ranged from skeptical to openly combative in the lead-up to the film’s release, criticizing everything from its accuracy to how he was approached, or not approached, during production. That tension has only grown as the movie’s marketing rolls out, with Robert Pattinson stepping into the role of Hansen himself.

Now, after seeing the trailer, Hansen has finally offered a more nuanced take on Pattinson’s performance, one that lands somewhere between criticism and grudging respect. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Hansen acknowledged that Pattinson had clearly put in the work to capture his mannerisms, even if the result felt exaggerated to him personally.

“I mean, obviously he has practiced imitating me, and while I think it’s overly dramatic, I think there is a pretty good imitation there in the trailer,” Hansen said, per Entertainment Tonight. He added a caveat that softened the critique further: “It’s not so much what I think; it’s what other people think. And you know, my wife [and] my family seem to think it’s a pretty good imitation.”

That measured response marks a notable shift from some of Hansen’s earlier remarks about the film. In previous comments, he described the trailer as “overly dramatic” and “dark,” even calling Pattinson’s take on him “almost vampirish,” while still praising the ‘Twilight’ star as a “gifted actor.”

@entertainmenttonight Chris Hansen has some issues with the upcoming A24 thriller, ‘Primetime,’ based on his show, ‘To Catch a Predator.’ Among them: He says he was never made aware of the project or consulted on it. He also claims he was not allowed to screen the film without signing a restrictive NDA. A24 has no comment. One thing he can agree with is the general opinion — even shared by his family — that Robert Pattinson does a pretty solid imitation of his voice. “While I think it’s overly dramatic, I think there’s a pretty good imitation there,” he told ET. In the meantime, the investigative journalist is currently weighing legal action, but he’s also using the opportunity to promote his true-crime streaming network, TruBlu, with an ad set to run before screenings of the movie, which hits theaters Sept. 25. #robertpattinson #Primetime #ChrisHansen #tocatchapredator ♬ original sound – Entertainment Tonight

Hansen has consistently maintained that ‘Primetime’ distorts key facts about his career, insisting the film includes conversations and moments that never actually happened. “He’s saying things I never said and doing things I never did, and that’s not who I am,” Hansen said, distancing himself from the film’s broader narrative even while praising the performance itself.

Much of Hansen’s frustration also stems from how he says he was treated during the film’s production process. He has claimed that A24 asked him to sign away rights to his name, image and brand before allowing him to view an advance screening, an agreement he says he refused to sign. “The lawyers at A24 wanted me to sign away my rights to my name, image and brand, essentially, as well as any potential legal rights that would come out of the movie,” Hansen said. “I couldn’t sign that, so they didn’t show me the film. I went all the way over there.”

Despite his objections, Hansen has taken an unusual approach to the film’s release, purchasing preshow advertising to run before every screening of ‘Primetime,’ using the platform to promote his own true-crime streaming service, TruBlu. It’s a move that has drawn attention for essentially turning a project he’s criticized into an advertising opportunity for his own competing venture.

‘Primetime’ is scheduled to premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on September 5 before opening in theaters nationwide on September 25, giving audiences their own chance to weigh in on whether Pattinson’s performance lives up to the real Hansen’s expectations.

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