>> rose: with me is cameron crowe the director and matt damon who stars as benjamin mee, i am pleased to have them both at this table. welcom >> thank you. >> rose: you should be embarrassed. this is so heartwarming, isn't it? >> we put our hearts into it, definitely. it's a story from the soul, i think. >> rose: how did you find it? was it your... i read the book "we bought a zoo," but benjamin mee and it struck me as one of those stories about the human adventure, you can't really make it up. the guy follows his instincts and finds the whole world opens up to him. and that kind of story really depends onhe kind of performances that we had and matt and i really made the journey together. >> rose: but you said... i think i read this. you wanted to put joy in the world. >> yeah. i thought it was time to just... >> rose: we need some joy. >> put a little piece of joy out there. >> rose: and you? he calls you up and says this is the character, this is the story and you said... >> but that was one of the things he said to me. one of the first things about joy. he said "i want to put a pie

>> rose: with me is cameron crowe the director and matt damon who stars as benjamin mee, i am pleased to have them both at this table. welcom >> thank you. >> rose: you should be embarrassed. this is so heartwarming, isn't it? >> we put our hearts into it, definitely. it's a story from the soul, i think. >> rose: how did you find it? was it your... i read the book "we bought a zoo," but benjamin mee and it struck me as one of those stories about the human adventure, you can't really make it up. the guy follows his instincts and finds the whole world opens up to him. and that kind of story really depends onhe kind of performances that we had and matt and i really made the journey together. >> rose: but you said... i think i read this. you wanted to put joy in the world. >> yeah. i thought it was time to just... >> rose: we need some joy. >> put a little piece of joy out there. >> rose: and you? he calls you up and says this is the character, this is the story and you said... >> but that was one of the things he said to me. one of the first things about joy. he said "i want to put a pie

but it's a true story about a a man named benjamin mee who sort of went through a life changing event ended up buying outside of london in the u.k. this sort of dilapidated zoo and then revitalized it. and kids, animals, pranks -- >> jay: this is perfect for your daughter. she's 7. she would love this movie. >> she told me she thought the movie looked too grown up. >> jay: really? >> yeah, she said do the animals talk? and i said no, no, it's a real >> jay: this is perfect for your daughter. she's 7. she would love this movie. >> she told me she thought the movie looked too grown up. >> jay: really? >> yeah, she said do the animals talk? and i said no, no, it's a real story. she goes yeah, "those movies are only funny when the animals talk." [ laughter ] >> jay: really! >> i immediately called the heads of 20th century fox and gave them that note. [ light laughter ] needless to say they hung up on me. >> jay: well come to think of it, the last time you were here about 18 months ago, you are going to auditions. didn't you, what happened? >> i went to have a meeting with the director ca