Robert Pattinson is entering a new phase of his career, taking on increasingly complex and darker roles. After playing the ruthless Antinous in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the British actor stars in and produces Primetime, in which he portrays controversial American television host Chris Hansen.
From Twilight to darker roles
Pattinson, who rose to global fame as Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise, has gradually moved toward more challenging roles in auteur cinema. In Primetime, directed by Lance Oppenheim, he plays Hansen, the journalist behind NBC’s To Catch a Predator, a controversial 2000s program that confronted suspected sexual predators on camera.
The film is set in 2006, when Hansen’s show had moved into primetime. As he pushes increasingly sensational stories to boost ratings, the boundaries between journalism and entertainment begin to blur, eventually leading to a tragedy that changes the show’s future.
Pattinson said he was drawn to the contradictions within Hansen’s personality.
“He isn’t naturally evil. He’s competitive and wants his show to succeed, but he crosses into ethically controversial territory,” Pattinson said, describing a character whose growing pressure and desire for success gradually distort his perception of himself.
“The villains are always the most interesting”
Pattinson said he has always been attracted to morally complicated characters.
“I think the villains are always the most interesting,” he said.
He initially intended only to produce Primetime, but eventually decided to play Hansen himself. He said he wanted to explore what happens to people who have spent decades constantly under the spotlight and develop a professional persona to cope with it.
Director Lance Oppenheim has compared Pattinson’s impact on his generation to that of Jack Nicholson, saying the actor remains surprising from one role to the next.
Fatherhood changed his perspective
Pattinson turned 40 in May and has described the milestone as unexpectedly unsettling.
“I panicked when I turned 40. At 30, I still felt like I was in my twenties,” he said.
At the same time, he said becoming a father has brought a new energy to his life. Pattinson and actress and singer Suki Waterhouse welcomed their daughter in 2024.
For the first time, the actor said, he filled his schedule for two consecutive years and had to carefully manage his energy. Fatherhood, however, helped him maintain that balance.
“I go out much less in the evening and go to bed early, so in a way I’ve had more time,” he said.
From a shy teenager to Hollywood star
Pattinson began acting at the age of 14 after joining a small theater group, initially as a way to socialize. He eventually auditioned for a role in Guys and Dolls, despite feeling uncomfortable performing in front of others.
He later appeared as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, before becoming an international star as Edward Cullen in Twilight in 2008.
Since then, he has taken on a wide range of roles, including in Remember Me, Bel Ami, The Batman and The Odyssey.
Pattinson said he was not naturally drawn to the spotlight as a teenager and often kept himself apart from others.
“I even used to hide a little,” he said, adding that he still finds it difficult to believe how far his acting career has taken him.
What comes next
Primetime, starring and produced by Pattinson, is scheduled to hit cinemas on October 16. He is also currently filming the second installment of The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves and expected in 2028.
Before that, audiences will see him as Scytale, an antagonist to the emperor, in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three, due in cinemas on December 16.
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