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‘To Catch A Predator’ host criticises “bizarre” ‘Primetime’: “I’m not sure what the point of it was”

Lance Oppenheim says Hansen’s backlash fits the film’s portrait of a media-savvy figure who promotes his own reaction after giving Pattinson’s performance a D.

  • On Friday, television personality Chris Hansen criticized the A24 film Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, calling the biographical drama "mostly fictional" and giving the performance a "D." Hansen revealed he is considering legal action against the filmmakers.
  • The Lance Oppenheim-directed movie, based on an Esquire article, depicts Hansen's work on the To Catch a Predator series. Despite holding an 87% Tomatometer score, Hansen labeled the portrayal a "hit piece."
  • Hansen expressed frustration over his depiction as an "aloof, detached father," calling the film "mean-spirited" and "untrue." When Fox News host Jesse Watters asked if scenes occurred in reality, Hansen replied, "Almost every one of them."
  • Director Lance Oppenheim stated Hansen's condemnation was entirely expected, noting the film serves as a character study rather than a traditional biopic. Oppenheim defended casting Pattinson, saying, "I said the only person who can play this part is you."
  • Hansen remains active in investigative journalism through his streaming platform, TruBlu, while the film's dramatization continues to spark debate over ethical boundaries in portraying real-life news figures. The controversy underscores tensions between artistic interpretation and journalistic accountability.
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Bias Distribution

  • 38% of the sources lean Left, 37% of the sources are Center
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The A.V. Club broke the news in Los Angeles, United States on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
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