Robert Pattinson's Chris Hansen Performance Sparks Debate Over Accuracy
Robert Pattinson's portrayal of Chris Hansen in the new A24 film 'Primetime' is raising eyebrows, including those of Hansen himself. The movie is a dramatized look behind the scenes of Hansen's infamous NBC show 'To Catch a Predator'.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film is inspired by a 20-year-old Esquire article by Luke Dittrich. That article investigated the death of a Texas prosecutor, Bill Conradt, who took his own life as the show's crew arrived at his home. Dittrich's piece explored the tragedy surrounding the reality TV sting operation.
Per /Film, the real Chris Hansen is not a fan of the project. Hansen told THR the film is "a completely made-up work of fiction" and questioned why he wasn't consulted. The film's ending depicts a Texas district attorney's suicide as a catastrophic event that ends Hansen's career.
However, /Film reports this is a fictionalized take. In reality, Conradt's death occurred in 2006, but 'To Catch a Predator' continued airing until 2008. When asked if he had regrets about the incident, Hansen simply stated, "No. We continued to conduct investigations after that."
ScreenRant notes the film uses Hansen's story for a broader critique of turning justice into television entertainment. Director Lance Oppenheim described it as an exploration of what working in that dark world does to the people who make the show.
