Who Is Chris Hansen? 5 Things to Know About the TV Journalist Behind Robert Pattinson's 'Primetime' Role

Chris Hansen's headline-making career is the focus of A24's new film, Primetime.

Starring Robert Pattinson, Primetime was loosely based on the To Catch a Predator former host's rise in the industry as he "sets out to make television history" in 2006. The Lance Oppenheim-directed film also starred Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher and Bokeem Woodbine.

Following Primetime's September 25 release, here's everything to know about Hansen's life and television career that inspired the film.

Hansen was born in Lansing, Mich., on September 13, 1959, but grew up in the northern Detroit suburbs, according to Phi Delta Theta.

After graduating from Brother Rice High School, he earned a bachelor's degree in telecommunications from Michigan State University College of Communication Arts and Sciences in 1981.

He recalled in an interview that his interest in investigative reporting began at age 14, when he watched FBI agents and police investigate the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa on July 30, 1975.

Hansen began working as a reporter for Lansing NBC affiliate WILX in 1981, during his senior year at Michigan State University.

He then reported for radio stations and newspapers in Michigan before joining NBC News in 1993 as a correspondent for the news magazine Now with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric. During that period, he covered major events, including the September 11 attacks and the Oklahoma City bombing.

Hansen later became a correspondent for Dateline NBC and gained national recognition as the host of To Catch a Predator from 2004 to 2007. After leaving NBC in 2013 after two decades with the network, he continued working in investigative and true crime television through projects including Killer Instinct, Crime Watch Daily (Hansen vs. Predator segment) and Takedown with Chris Hansen.

He has also hosted the "Predators I've Caught" podcast since 2020.

Throughout his career, Hansen has earned numerous honors, including 10 Emmy Awards and five Edward R. Murrow Awards. He has also received three Clarion Awards, as well as honors from the National Press Club, the Overseas Press Club, Investigative Reporters and Editors and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

In 2015, the KidSafe Foundation named him the Child Advocate of the Year Award for his work raising awareness about online predators.

In January 2019, the former NBC News correspondent was arrested in connection with a $13,000 bounced check.

According to NBC News, he turned himself in to the Stamford Police Department in Connecticut after authorities alleged he had failed to pay a local vendor for promotional merchandise he had purchased in 2017. He was charged with issuing a bad check before being released without bond.

Hansen was hit with another arrest warrant in Michigan in 2021 after failing to respond to a subpoena in a s-- trafficking case.

"The court matter in Shiawasse Co, Mi today resulted from a predator investigation there. Defense lawyers for accused predator Michael Lott had requested video from the investigation. There was miscommunication about a hearing today on the issue. The matter is currently being resolved!" he explained in a statement at the time.

The TV presenter was married to his first wife, Mary Joan Hansen, from 1989 until their divorce was finalized in 2020. The former couple shares two children.

As reported by RadarOnline.com, Mary Joan filed for divorce after nearly 30 years of marriage on June 5, 2018, claiming the "marriage has broken down irretrievably."

After finalizing the divorce, Chris proposed to Gabrielle Gagnon in December 2020 and married her in a 2021 ceremony.

Chris returned to the spotlight with the release of A24's Primetime, which was partly inspired by the 2007 Esquire article "Tonight on Dateline, This Man Will Die." The piece examined the controversial To Catch a Predator investigation involving Louis William "Bill" Conradt Jr., who died by suicide as law enforcement attempted to serve him with an arrest warrant in November 2006.

"I never really set out to make a movie about Chris Hansen. I would hope in some ways, like, the amount of inspiration that his character has kind of given certain people who are involved in this for like years now, I hope [it's] some kind of compliment," Robert said during a press conference at Venice.

On the other hand, Chris called the film "a work of fiction" and clarified he had "nothing to do with the movie."

"It's overly dramatic… How could they tell the story without having talked to anybody who was directly involved?" he said during an appearance on The Dan Abrams Show on August 27. "The conversations you heard in the trailer never took place in real life."

In a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Chris criticized Primetime and its depiction of his work, calling the film an "insult" and a "completely made-up work of fiction."

"I think it's an insult to the thousands of men and women who work hard every day to protect children from predators. They turn something very positive, very challenging, and not without risk into what is essentially a horror film," he said, adding he was not consulted during production.

While he said Robert's portrayal presents a version of him that differs significantly from who he is in real life, he emphasized he had "no issue" with the Micky 17 star and praised him as an actor.

"I have no issue with Robert Pattinson. I think he's a great actor and a nice guy, and he has been very gracious in his comments about me. But they put him in a difficult position. He's going to be asked, 'Did you actually meet with Chris Hansen?' And he has to explain why, as an actor portraying me, they never reached out even to have a discussion," Chris said.

He added, "There wouldn't be a movie if I hadn't created the Predator investigative series, so that would not be possible without my work. Robert Pattinson has said that he hopes the movie adds to my legacy, and I appreciate that."

Chris continued to question the film's depiction of him and his work after seeing Primetime in theaters, saying the movie was "bizarre" and felt "so detached from reality."

"Obviously I'm not objective because the character is, you know, me," he pointed out.