Robert Pattinson Reacts To 'To Catch A Predator' Star Chris Hansen's Criticism Of His Portrayal In New Film

It’s probably not every day Robert Pattinson gets publicly critiqued by Chris Hansen, but here we are. The actor addressed the former To Catch a Predator host’s concerns about Primetime at the Venice International Film Festival, offering a gracious response to the man whose television career helped inspire the film.

At the panel, Pattinson addressed Hansen’s concerns directly:

“Obviously, I hope he likes the movie. You know, I never really set out to make a movie about Chris Hansen; I never really thought about it…”

Pattinson may not have set out to play Hansen directly, but the parallels are certainly there. In Primetime, the actor plays a fictionalized version of Hansen, now 66, during the To Catch a Predator era. The Dateline NBC segment ran from 2004 to 2007 and became known for its hidden-camera stings targeting men who believed they were meeting minors online.

Still, Pattinson revealed what ultimately drew him to the project:

“And then I read the script, and there’s something electrifying about it.”

The film is also partially based on a 2007 Esquire article, Tonight on Dateline: This Man Will Die, and dramatizes events surrounding the program.

Pattinson’s involvement actually began behind the camera. After responding to the first draft, he came aboard as a producer before he and the filmmakers brought on Lance Oppenheim to direct. Oppenheim’s style proved a natural match for the unusual story, and by the second draft, Pattinson was sold.

Pattinson shared what he hopes Hansen takes away from that inspiration:

“I would hope in some ways, the amount of inspiration that his character has given so many people who are involved in this film for years now, I hope it’s some kind of compliment.”

Hansen wasn’t a background player in the To Catch a Predator phenomenon. Once suspects arrived at the sting house, Hansen would appear for the confrontation. Questions like “Why don’t you have a seat right over there?” and “What were you hoping to do here tonight?” became an unforgettable part of the formula and helped cement his place in pop culture.

Revisiting the show years later also gave Pattinson a new appreciation for what made it all work:

“I watched the show when I was younger, and I didn’t even think about it. And when you obsessively watch it, you realize there’s a strange alchemy with what’s going on: the aesthetics of the show, and how it was directed, and how things are put together, and the time period.”

That “strange alchemy,” coupled with Hansen’s commanding screen presence, ultimately inspired Oppenheim’s film.

See what Pattinson had to say below:

Pattinson isn’t the only familiar face stepping into Primetime. The film also stars Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher, Bokeem Woodbine, and Anna Faris.

Audiences won’t have to wait much longer to see how it all plays out. Primetime hits theaters on September 25, but Pattinson’s response to Hansen is already giving social media plenty to talk about.

Here’s how the conversation unfolded online:

u/Tower-Junkie/Reddit

u/Veronome/Reddit

u/Gyorgy_Ligeti/Reddit

u/JV0/Reddit

u/invyros/Reddit

u/npc042/Reddit

u/Dead-O_Comics/Reddit

u/FantasticName/Reddit

u/Odd_Needleworker3756/Reddit

u/mak05/Reddit

u/dantevsninjas/Reddit

u/Muroid/Reddit; u/ScarletSilver/Reddit

Hansen, however, hasn’t exactly shared Pattinson’s enthusiasm. Though he has yet to see Primetime, he has repeatedly voiced frustration over his name being used in the dramatized retelling. He has also complained that he was not consulted on the movie and questioned Hollywood’s “intentions” behind bringing the story to the big screen.

As it turns out, Hansen once had his own ideas about taking his story to Hollywood:

“I had discussions years ago about—I had crafted a script, and I thought Denis Leary would be a good guy to play me, depending on the age of it all.”

You see how this looks, right? So much for Team Edward—Hansen was apparently Team Denis all along.

Pattinson may not have been his original casting choice, but Hansen hasn’t completely dismissed the actor’s take. After catching glimpses of the performance in Primetime trailers and marketing, he called Pattinson’s portrayal a “pretty good imitation”—though he found it a bit “overly dramatic.”

Perhaps Pattinson’s hope isn’t entirely lost. Hansen still has his reservations, but “pretty good imitation” sounds a lot closer to a compliment than a takedown.