Robert Pattinson rehearses Chris Hansen voice

Robert Pattinson said this week that copying Chris Hansen’s speaking voice for A24’s “Primetime” required him to walk around in public reciting Hansen’s podcast aloud. The account surfaced in coverage of a recent GQ interview and was amplified on September 2 by DiscussingFilm on X, as promotion continued for the film’s late-September release. (thewrap.com) A24 says “Primetime,” directed by Lance Oppenheim, opens on September 25, 2026. The film stars Pattinson as Hansen during the “To Catch a Predator” era. (a24films.com) ### What exactly did Pattinson say he did? (a24films.com) Robert Pattinson said the hardest part of playing Hansen was the voice, according to multiple reports citing his GQ interview. Those reports said Pattinson used Hansen’s podcast as a practice tool and repeated it aloud while walking around outside so he could lock in the cadence. The reports said passers-by were confused as he recited material in public. Coverage describing the method said Pattinson was working from dark case material connected to Hansen’s true-crime style, using repetition to get closer to the host’s delivery. (thewrap.com) ### Which Chris Hansen project was he using for reference? Chris Hansen currently hosts “Have A Seat with Chris Hansen,” a podcast that Apple Podcasts and iHeart describe as a true-crime show updated biweekly. The show’s listings say Hansen revisits predator stings and conducts interviews tied to law enforcement, justice and survival stories. (thewrap.com) The social briefing tied Pattinson’s preparation to the “Why Would You Say That?” podcast, but the clearest independently surfaced references in web reporting point to Hansen’s podcast work more broadly rather than a separate official show page for that title. (complex.com) Based on the available sourcing, Pattinson’s preparation involved reciting Hansen audio to reproduce the host’s voice pattern. ### What is “Primetime” and who is in it? A24 says “Primetime” is set in 2006 and follows Hansen as he “sets out to make television history.” The studio lists Lance Oppenheim as director and Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher and Bokeem Woodbine in the cast. (podcasts.apple.com) IMDb’s synopsis similarly places the story in 2006 around the production of “To Catch a Predator.” Secondary databases also describe the film as being based on the Esquire article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” which recounted the Bill Conradt case and its aftermath. (thewrap.com) ### Why is Hansen central to the role? Chris Hansen is best known as the former “Dateline NBC” correspondent who hosted “To Catch a Predator” from 2004 to 2007. His on-camera style — measured, direct and confrontational — became the signature of the franchise and is the vocal pattern Pattinson was trying to reproduce. (a24films.com) Deadline has also reported that Hansen was not involved in making the A24 film, though he has publicly engaged with the project during its rollout. That leaves Pattinson’s performance and promotional interviews as the main public window into how the portrayal was built. (imdb.com) ### Where did this latest burst of attention come from? DiscussingFilm posted the anecdote on X on September 2, turning a detail from Pattinson’s interview into a social-media talking point during the film’s promotion run. Entertainment outlets including TheWrap, Complex and Yahoo also published write-ups on September 1 and September 2 highlighting the same preparation story. (en.wikipedia.org) A24’s next public milestone is the September 25 theatrical release of “Primetime,” and the studio’s film page is collecting sign-ups for tickets, merchandise and special events tied to the launch. (deadline.com) (a24films.com) (thewrap.com)