Robert Pattinson Calls Himself Chris Hansen Fan — SkimNews
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- Robert Pattinson told ET he approached his Chris Hansen role in A24's Primetime "as a fan," saying "I was trying to make him cool. He is cool. I'm a fan."
- Chris Hansen has publicly criticized the Lance Oppenheim-directed film, accusing it of capitalizing on his name, and the article notes "the feeling is not mutual," per Deadline.
- Pattinson highlighted young audiences embracing the role, citing screener screenings where "really, really young audiences" showed up dressed as Hansen and did impressions, potentially introducing Hansen to a new generation.
- The film is based on a 2007 Esquire article by Luke Dittrich, written by Ajon Singh, and follows Hansen's work setting up stings on NBC's To Catch a Predator (2004–'07).
- Hansen has gone on what Deadline calls a "public rollercoaster of reactions," including contemplating legal action and buying ad space before screenings to promote his true-crime streaming network TruBlu.
- Pattinson drew a parallel between the young fans discovering Hansen now and his own age when he first watched the host, adding they'll "rediscover or discover all the important work he's doing as well."
Why it matters: The Pattinson–Hansen rift turns a prestige A24 release into an ongoing PR tug-of-war: Hansen is spending real money on ads to redirect audiences to his TruBlu network, while Pattinson is framing the movie as a love letter that may expand the controversy-scarred host's fanbase rather than damage it.
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