Robert Pattinson may be Hollywood's pick to play Chris Hansen on the big screen — but the man himself had rather different ideas.
The former To Catch a Predator host has broken his silence on A24's upcoming thriller Primetime, and while he's been diplomatic about Pattinson's involvement, he's made no secret of who he always pictured in the role: Denis Leary.
'I Didn't Get to Choose My Own Guy'
Speaking on the Serialously with Annie Elise podcast, Hansen confirmed he had zero involvement in the production of the film — which stars Pattinson as a fictionalised, apparently rather unhinged version of the veteran journalist — and that nobody from the production got in touch until after filming had already wrapped.
When the subject of casting came up, Hansen was candid about his own preference, revealing that years ago he had actually written a script based on his own life, with a very specific leading man in mind.
'I always thought — I had discussions years ago, I had crafted a script — Denis Leary would be a good guy to play me, depending on the age of it all.'
He acknowledged that Pattinson is 'a popular actor', but the compliment had a certain restraint to it. On the film's trailer, Hansen offered the rather withering assessment of 'very dramatic' — which, given what we know of the Primetime footage, might be the understatement of the year.
Questions About Hollywood's Motives
Hansen, who is 66, didn't stop at casting notes. He also raised an eyebrow at the wider intentions behind the project, suggesting the commercial machine may have had more to do with it than any genuine interest in his story.
'My suspicion is that they used my name because it helps in a commercial enterprise.'
It's a fair point to raise. Hansen has spent decades as one of American television's most recognisable figures, largely thanks to To Catch a Predator — the Dateline NBC sting series that ran from 2004 to 2007 and turned his deadpan confrontations with would-be predators into some of the most memed television footage in internet history. 'Why don't you have a seat right over there?' remains one of the most quoted lines in online culture.
Producers did eventually make contact, Hansen confirmed — a couple of months before the podcast recording — with an offer for him to have 'some sort of consideration' in helping with the film. He declined to serve as a consultant, and judging by his tone, wasn't especially moved by the late invitation.
He Hasn't Even Seen It Yet
Perhaps most telling of all is that Hansen, at the time of the interview, hadn't actually watched Primetime in full. He had been too busy, he said, 'being the real Chris Hansen' — a line delivered with the kind of dry confidence that suggests he's perfectly comfortable with his own legacy, Hollywood's interpretation of it notwithstanding.
He did confirm, however, that a private screening was imminent, and promised a fuller verdict once he'd sat through it. Given the sharpness of his early comments, that review should be worth the wait.
Primetime — directed by Lance Oppenheim and also starring Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Anna Faris and Creed Bratton — is due to hit cinemas on 25 September. For more on the biggest stories in film and entertainment, keep it here at Daily Insight.
