Jeff Zucker, former CEO of NBCUniversal, has a cameo in the A24 film "Primetime," playing a fictionalized version of himself. In the movie, which stars Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen of "Dateline NBC's" "To Catch a Predator," Zucker's character promotes the segment to a primetime slot, humorously stating, "I don't really like your show. But America loves it. So I need to move you, 'To Catch a Predator' — 9 p.m. Primetime!"
Zucker clarified that this scene, while integral to the film's title, never actually occurred and is an "inspired by true events" fictionalization. He described his character as a "ratings-driven network entertainment executive," a portrayal he playfully suggested was "pretty far from the truth." Despite this, he enjoyed the improvisational experience during filming.
The former executive revealed he agreed to the cameo because he had never acted in a major motion picture before, calling it a "once in a lifetime opportunity." He has previously played himself in TV shows like "My Name is Earl" and "Kirstie Alley's Fat Actress." His appearance in the trailer, particularly the line giving the film its title, generated unexpected attention and earned him the new moniker "Primetime" among friends and colleagues.
Zucker attended the "Primetime" premiere at the Venice Film Festival, describing the experience as "very surreal, but a lot of fun." He also noted his connection to another film at the festival; his current company, RedBird IMI, has a subsidiary, Media Res, which was involved in making "Ink," the opening night film of the festival, making it a "very big year" for him at Venice.
