Jay Roach

“I'm drawn to stories about ordinary people who get into extraordinary situations.”

“Casting is everything. If you get the right people, you can't miss.”

“I always try to find the human story in the politics.”

“With political films, you have to be so careful with the facts, because you're dealing with real people's lives.”

“I love collaboration. I don't think I could make a film by myself.”

“Comedy is a great tool to deal with something that's very painful.”

“In comedy, you have to be unafraid to hang from the tree branch, and you have to allow yourself to fall.”

“The goal is always to entertain, but if you can also make people think, that's a bonus.”

“Directing is about creating an environment where people feel safe to take risks.”

“The best comedies are based on characters who are in pain.”

“I'm fascinated by the way power works, and the way it corrupts.”

“I never set out to make a 'Jay Roach film.' I just try to serve the story.”

“The audience is always smarter than you think. You can't talk down to them.”

“For me, it's always about the characters. If I don't connect with them, I can't direct the movie.”

“The great thing about comedy is that you can say things you can’t say in a drama.”