Jay Roach - Life and Career

Life and Career

Roach was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where his father was a military worker. He graduated from Eldorado High School in 1975. He received a B.A. in economics from Stanford University in 1980 and later earned an M.F.A. in film production from the University of Southern California in 1986. Jay Roach is a director, writer and producer in Hollywood. His directing credits include the Emmy®-winning HBO film “Recount,” which earned Roach two Emmy® Awards, for Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Made for Television Movie in addition to a DGA Award. He also directed the HBO film Game Change about the 2008 McCain/Palin campaign, which premiered March 2012 as one of the most watched films in HBO history. The film also gave him his third Primetime Emmy Award. His other directing credits include “Meet the Fockers,” “Meet the Parents,” “Austin Powers in Goldmember,” “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery” and “Mystery, Alaska.” Roach’s producing credits include the Academy Award®-nominated “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” His latest film was The Campaign (2012), a political comedy centered on competing congressional candidates, starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis.

Roach is married to Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, with whom he has two sons. Roach was raised a Southern Baptist, and converted to Judaism before marrying Hoffs.