Primetime director got Robert Pattinson on board by feeding his Zyn addiction

Primetime director Lance Oppenheim used unconventional methods to entice Robert Pattinson to play To Catch A Predator host Chris Hansen. In a new interview with Vulture , Oppenheim recalled resorting to bribery to convince Pattinson, who was initially only attached as a producer, to get in front of the camera.

“Rob, at the time, was grappling with a Zyn addiction,” Oppenheim said. Vulture ‘s Alex Barasch explained that, unfortunately for Pattinson, nicotine pouches were in short supply in the U.S. But fortunately for him, Oppenheim called in a favor with a friend in Canada, who sent 200 canisters of Zyn to Pattinson’s Los Angeles home, along with a new draft of the script cheekily addressed to “Chris Han-Zyn.” When Pattinson committed to the role, Oppenheim likened the moment to “LeBron making the announcement that he was joining the Heat.” The production notes for Primetime similarly recalled the script revision process and bringing Pattinson on board as the movie’s star, sans the bribery anecdote.

Per the notes, Oppenheim, screenwriter Ajon Singh, and the Icki Eneo Arlo production team refocused the screenplay to center on the dynamic between Hansen and Dan Plum (Skyler Gisondo), aka Decoy Dan. Pattinson was apparently intrigued by Hansen’s internal struggle, the blurred line between his personal and professional life, and his downward spiral, and Oppenheim was keen to cast him by whatever means possible.

“This role was made for Rob, and I knew I had to do everything in my power to convince him to play Chris,” he said, pointing to Pattinson’s previous portrayals of tragic heroes. As it turns out, all it really took to reel in the actor was a hefty supply of Zyn. Keep scrolling for more great stories.