Robert Pattinson says ‘Primetime’ is not an indictment of Chris Hansen

Screenwriter Ajon Singh says the film raises questions about society’s fascination with public humiliation

Robert Pattinson has defended the approach taken by his upcoming film Primetime, insisting that the drama is not intended to condemn Chris Hansen, the television presenter known for hosting To Catch a Predator.

The British actor portrays Hansen in the psychological thriller, directed by Lance Oppenheim and written by Ajon Singh. The film explores the making of the controversial reality series, which followed sting operations targeting suspected child predators.

Speaking to the Press Association at a screening during the BFI London Film Festival, Pattinson described the film as a portrait rather than an attack on Hansen’s character.

“It’s a portrait, and it’s not an indictment of Chris as a person at all,” the actor explained, adding that the story aims to capture the atmosphere surrounding the programme and examine wider issues connected to its popularity.

 

 

 

 

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Pattinson said he had been familiar with Hansen and watched the series when he was younger. He was particularly interested in the unusual perspective offered by the screenplay and the way Hansen became a widely recognised public figure.

Singh adapted the script from an article in Esquire magazine documenting the fallout from one of the programme’s sting operations. The series was taken off the air in 2008 following an operation involving Texas assistant district attorney Bill Conradt, who died by suicide after police officers and a camera crew entered his home. The footage was never broadcast.

Singh said the filmmakers did not intend to deliver a moral judgement on vigilante justice or the audience’s interest in public humiliation. Instead, he wanted viewers to consider why programmes exposing suspected offenders attracted such widespread attention.

Hansen has criticised Primetime, arguing that it attempts to demonise him. However, Singh said he appreciated the presenter encouraging people to watch the film and form their own opinions.

Oppenheim, making his narrative feature debut after working primarily in documentaries, said he wanted to recreate the unsettling experience of watching the original series.

The cast also includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo and Phoebe Bridgers.