Chris Hansen, the former host of the NBC program "To Catch a Predator," has broken his silence on the upcoming A24 film "Primetime," which stars Robert Pattinson as the broadcast journalist. Hansen, 66, appeared on the podcast "Serialously With Annie Elise" on Monday, stating that he has not yet seen the completed movie, though previews suggest it may portray him as ratings-driven.
Hansen expressed curiosity about Hollywood's motivations behind the film. "I know that he's a very popular actor; I know that the director is a popular guy, but I also have some questions. You know, what's Hollywood's motive here? We don't know, but I'll find out," he said.
"To Catch a Predator" aired as a segment on "Dateline NBC" between 2004 and 2007. During this period, Hansen collaborated with local law enforcement and the watchdog group Perverted Justice on sting operations. The show featured decoys posing as underage individuals who would arrange online meetings with adults. Upon the adults' arrival at a designated location, they would be met by NBC cameras and Hansen, who would conduct interviews before their arrests by police.
Despite its popularity, the show faced significant controversy due to legal and ethical concerns, ultimately leading to its cancellation in 2008. One notable incident occurred in November 2006 when Bill Conradt, a Texas assistant district attorney, died by suicide after police entered his home to arrest him following an online chat with a decoy. Hansen and his crew were present outside the residence at the time.
Hansen mentioned that he has only seen the preview for "Primetime" and described it as "very dramatic." He is scheduled to attend a private screening next week. "Until I see the full movie, you know, I as a reporter, it's sort of silly for me to talk about something that I haven't seen yet - so I'm going to see it," Hansen stated. "Then I'll be able to tell you whether I like it or don't like it, and how dramatized it is."
He clarified that he was not involved in the film's production, though individuals connected to the project reached out for his input after filming had concluded. "We had heard, you know, obviously, with all the different properties I have and all the platforms, some of the people who are involved in the management also tangentially have relationships in the Hollywood world," Hansen explained. "So we had heard that this was in the works a couple months ago."
Hansen also noted that he has been focused on his own current projects, saying, "I've been busy being the real Chris Hansen, so I don't have a lot of time to focus on the fake Chris Hansen." He speculated that filmmakers used his name because "it helps in a commercial enterprise" and that "they want a commercial endeavor to succeed, and they think this is the way it's going to succeed." Hansen added that he did not have a say in the casting of Robert Pattinson. He recalled earlier discussions about a potential film based on the NBC series, during which he thought Dennis Leary would have been a suitable actor to play him.
"Primetime," which also features Anna Faris and Merritt Wever, is scheduled for release on September 25.