Robert Pattinson shares sweet moment with Suki Waterhouse as ‘Primetime’ premieres at Venice with 7-minute standing ovation

Robert Pattinson enjoyed a triumphant night at the Venice Film Festival as his new film Primetime received a rapturous seven-minute standing ovation, with his fiancée Suki Waterhouse by his side.

The A-list couple had a stylish arrival at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival for the premiere of Primetime, directed by Lance Oppenheim.

Pattinson wore a pinstriped Dior suit, while Waterhouse opted for an eye-catching Saint Laurent look.

The loved-up pair welcomed a baby girl together in March 2024, and they posed together on the red carpet before taking their seats for the screening.

According to Vogue, the couple shared a particularly sweet moment during the resounding ovation on Saturday night, as Waterhouse leaned forward from her seat to kiss Pattinson while the audience continued to cheer.

Waterhouse’s appearance beside Pattinson in Venice marks one of the couple’s rare major public appearances together, as they have previously kept things very private in their relationship.

Guests at the premiere report that once the credits rolled, the response inside Venice’s Sala Grande was immediate, with the standing ovation stretching on for around seven minutes.

It’s said that the crowd showed particular enthusiasm for Pattinson’s performance.

Oppenheim and singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, who makes her acting debut in the film, also received cheers and rave reviews.

The movie has been making headlines even before the premiere.

Who does Robert Pattinson play in Primetime?

Pattinson is portraying Chris Hansen, the American television journalist best known for hosting To Catch a Predator.

The film is inspired by Luke Dittrich’s 2007 Esquire article about the making of the controversial programme, which used hidden-camera stings to confront suspected online predators.

Rather than simply recreating the television series, Oppenheim’s film examines how Hansen and the production team became increasingly drawn into the spectacle they were creating.

It also apparently raises questions about the ethics of turning real-life investigations into television entertainment.

Reuters described the film as an exploration of the blurred boundary between news and showbusiness.

Pattinson’s performance has already attracted considerable attention from critics, with several early reviews praising his transformation into Hansen, and in particular, his voice and accent.

The couple looked loved-up on the red carpet (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Chris Hansen's reaction to the film

The real Hansen, however, has expressed reservations about the project.

He was not involved in the production and has criticised aspects of the film, saying he found Pattinson’s portrayal overly dramatic based on what he had seen from the trailer.

Hansen also told Entertainment Tonight that his own family thought it was a good impression of him: “I mean, obviously he has practiced imitating me, and while I think it’s overly dramatic, I think there is a pretty good imitation there in the trailer.”

He added: “It’s not so much what I think; it’s what other people think. And you know, my wife and my family seem to think it’s a pretty good imitation.”

Pattinson has nevertheless said he hopes Hansen will eventually appreciate the inspiration the character provided for the film.

According to Variety in Australia, Pattinson said at a press conference: “Obviously, I hope he likes the movie.”

“There’s something electrifying about him. I would hope the amount of inspiration his character has given a lot of people for years is some kind of compliment.”

The premiere comes as Pattinson is also preparing to return as Bruce Wayne in The Batman II.

Following the impressive ovation, Primetime has emerged as one of the festival’s more talked-about titles.