Primetime Director Lance Oppenheim Says Robert Pattinson Was the Only Actor Who Could Play Chris Hansen

Robert Pattinson’s casting as Chris Hansen in Primetime was not simply about finding an actor who could imitate the television host. Director Lance Oppenheim says Pattinson was uniquely suited to explore the complicated personality behind Hansen’s public image, even comparing his performance to the actor’s portrayal of Batman.

In an interview with Variety, Oppenheim explained that Pattinson initially approached the screenplay as a potential producer and was unsure about taking the lead role himself. The director, however, immediately believed Pattinson was the right choice.

“I said the only person who can play this part is you,”

Oppenheim said.

Why Oppenheim Saw Batman in Robert Pattinson’s Chris Hansen

Oppenheim’s comparison goes beyond Pattinson simply being famous for playing Batman in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. For the director, Hansen and Batman share an important theatrical quality because both can appear almost superheroic while pursuing their own versions of justice.

“Rob is Batman,”

Oppenheim explained in his Variety interview. He described Primetime’s Hansen as a superhero when confronting potential predators across the kitchen island, while portraying him elsewhere as a man who wants to experience the same control and authority he has while filming his television investigations.

That contrast is central to Oppenheim’s interpretation of Hansen. Rather than presenting the character as a straightforward recreation of the real television personality, the filmmaker wanted Pattinson to explore the gap between Hansen’s public persona and the person behind it. Oppenheim has described Primetime as a form of “docu-fantasia,” allowing the movie to use real events while presenting its subjects through a subjective cinematic perspective.

Oppenheim also remains fascinated by To Catch a Predator itself and the unusual mixture of journalism, entertainment and spectacle that made the series famous. He called Hansen a journalist and entertainer, but also an artist who helped create a distinctive television world built around confrontations and public exposure.

The director’s comments also help explain why Primetime has attracted controversy from Hansen himself. Hansen previously criticized Pattinson’s portrayal as overly dramatic, while later saying the finished film felt detached from his own experiences.

Primetime is directed by Lance Oppenheim and stars Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen. The A24 drama explores the television host’s work during the height of To Catch a Predator while examining the tension between crime reporting, entertainment and personal ambition.