And now, from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN, the Axviles, with your

host, David Axelrod.

Jay Roach became famous by directing some of the most popular comedies of our time, the

Austin Powers movies, meet the parents, meet the fuckers, but lately he's better known

for historical, political films like recount, game change, all the way, and trombone.

Jay was a fellow at our Institute of Politics recently, and I sat down with him to talk about

his career in film, his interest in the history is brought to the screen, and some of the

historical figures that he's depicted.

Jay Roach, welcome here and to the Institute of Politics, we're so happy to have you here.

So the thing that strikes me in just looking at your history is how unlikely it is.

No one would have necessarily surmised from your youth that you would be a big time film

director.

Tell me about growing up in Albert Curkey.

Well, I grew up in a kind of working class family.

My dad worked for the defense industry there at Sandia Labs on Kirkland Air Force Base.

Sandia Labs is affiliated with Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos, and he...

A lot going on there in the 50s and 60s.

Yeah, a real cold war childhood, if you will.

It was...

And what...

Can I ask what exactly he did?

He...

...