B. J. Novak
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Joseph Manaly “B. J.” Novak (born July 31, 1979) is an American
actor
, stand-up comedian, screenwriter
, and director
. He is best known for being a writer and co-executive producer
for and playing the role of Ryan Howard
on the US version of The Office, as well as appearing in Inglourious Basterds. He has received an Emmy Award
for his works for The Office.
, the son of Linda (née Manaly) and William Novak. His father has ghostwritten
memoirs for Nancy Reagan
, Lee Iacocca
, and others. Novak's family is Jewish; his father co-edited The Big Book of Jewish Humor and his parents also established a Jewish matchmaking service. Novak has two younger brothers, Jesse, an electronic music producer, and Lev, an undergraduate student at Tufts University
. He attended Newton South High School
with future Office costar John Krasinski
, and they graduated in 1997. Novak attended Harvard University
, where he worked for the Harvard Lampoon
and majored in English and Spanish literature after writing a thesis on Hollywood responses to Shakespeare. In addition to the Lampoon, he occasionally staged and performed in a variety show called The B.J. Show with fellow Harvard student B. J. Averell. Novak wrote his honors thesis on the films of Shakespeare's
Hamlet
.
in 2001. Afterward he moved to Los Angeles
and began working in clubs as a comedian. His first live stand-up performance took place on October 10, 2001 at the Hollywood Youth Hostel. He was named one of Variety's
"Ten Comedians To Watch" in 2003.
Novak was a writer for the short-lived The WB
sitcom Raising Dad
. He has also performed on Comedy Central
's Premium Blend
and on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
.
Novak's television acting career began on MTV
's Punk'd
. He was the lead accomplice to Ashton Kutcher
on the show's second season in 2003, and has played pranks on Hilary Duff
, Usher
, and Mýa
.
After hearing Novak's opening joke at a comedy club, executive producer Greg Daniels
immediately decided to include Novak in his upcoming project: a U.S. version of the hit British series The Office
. Novak was cast as Ryan Howard
, becoming the first cast member. He is also a writer and co-executive producer for the series. On July 21, 2010, news reports indicated Novak had signed a contract to remain with the show for its 7th and 8th seasons; under the new terms, he would be made a full executive producer midway through Season 7 and also direct two episodes of the show, as well as becoming the latest cast member to also have a deal with NBC to develop other shows. In a June 2009 interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer
, Novak spoke about sharing the success of The Office with his Newton South High School
classmate John Krasinski
: He has claimed that his all time favorite episode of "The Office" is "The Injury
."
In addition to his television credits, Novak has appeared in the films Unaccompanied Minors
, Reign Over Me, Knocked Up
and Quentin Tarantino
's Inglourious Basterds.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, stand-up comedian, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
. He is best known for being a writer and co-executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
for and playing the role of Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard (The Office)
Ryan Bailey Howard , played by B. J. Novak, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom The Office. He is based upon Ricky Howard from the original version of The Office , but his role is significantly expanded and he is a main character.-Character profile:Little is known about Ryan's...
on the US version of The Office, as well as appearing in Inglourious Basterds. He has received an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for his works for The Office.
Early life
Novak was born and raised in Newton, MassachusettsNewton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, the son of Linda (née Manaly) and William Novak. His father has ghostwritten
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
memoirs for Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and was First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989....
, Lee Iacocca
Lee Iacocca
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca is an American businessman known for engineering the Mustang, the unsuccessful Ford Pinto, being fired from Ford Motor Company, and his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s...
, and others. Novak's family is Jewish; his father co-edited The Big Book of Jewish Humor and his parents also established a Jewish matchmaking service. Novak has two younger brothers, Jesse, an electronic music producer, and Lev, an undergraduate student at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
. He attended Newton South High School
Newton South High School
Newton South High School is one of two public high schools in the city of Newton, Massachusetts, the other being Newton North.-Mission statement:Newton South High School, a community of students, parents, faculty, and staff,...
with future Office costar John Krasinski
John Krasinski
John Burke Krasinski is an American actor, film director, and writer. He is most widely known for playing Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom The Office...
, and they graduated in 1997. Novak attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he worked for the Harvard Lampoon
Harvard Lampoon
The Harvard Lampoon is an undergraduate humor publication founded in 1876 at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.-Overview:Published since 1876, The Harvard Lampoon is the world's longest continually published humor magazine. It is also the second longest-running English-language humor...
and majored in English and Spanish literature after writing a thesis on Hollywood responses to Shakespeare. In addition to the Lampoon, he occasionally staged and performed in a variety show called The B.J. Show with fellow Harvard student B. J. Averell. Novak wrote his honors thesis on the films of Shakespeare's
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
.
Career
Novak graduated from HarvardHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 2001. Afterward he moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and began working in clubs as a comedian. His first live stand-up performance took place on October 10, 2001 at the Hollywood Youth Hostel. He was named one of Variety's
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
"Ten Comedians To Watch" in 2003.
Novak was a writer for the short-lived The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
sitcom Raising Dad
Raising Dad
Raising Dad is an American television series that aired on the WB from September 2001 until May 2002. The series starred Bob Saget, Kat Dennings, Brie Larson, Riley Smith, Beau Wirick, and Jerry Adler.-Premise:...
. He has also performed on Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
's Premium Blend
Premium Blend
Premium Blend was a television show that aired on the American cable television channel Comedy Central from 1997 to 2005.The program features a well-known stand up comedian as an emcee who introduces four or five lesser known comedians looking for a big break on television...
and on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
.
Novak's television acting career began on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Punk'd
Punk'd
Punk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers...
. He was the lead accomplice to Ashton Kutcher
Ashton Kutcher
Christopher Ashton Kutcher , best known as Ashton Kutcher, is an American actor, producer, former fashion model and comedian, best known for his portrayal of Michael Kelso in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show...
on the show's second season in 2003, and has played pranks on Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff
Hilary Erhard Duff is an American actress, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, and author. After working in local theater plays and television commercials in her childhood, she achieved fame playing the title role in the Disney Channel television series Lizzie McGuire. She also reprised her role in...
, Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
, and Mýa
Mya
-A person:* Bo Mya , Chief Commander of the Karen National Union* Mýa , American R&B singer-songwriter and actress** Mýa , a 1998 album by Mýa-A code:* Burmese language, ISO 639-3 code is mya* Moruya Airport's IATA code...
.
After hearing Novak's opening joke at a comedy club, executive producer Greg Daniels
Greg Daniels
Gregory Martin "Greg" Daniels is an American television comedy writer, producer, and director.-Life and career:...
immediately decided to include Novak in his upcoming project: a U.S. version of the hit British series The Office
The Office (UK TV series)
The Office is a British sitcom television series that was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 9 July 2001. Created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the programme is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough branch of the fictitious...
. Novak was cast as Ryan Howard
Ryan Howard (The Office)
Ryan Bailey Howard , played by B. J. Novak, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom The Office. He is based upon Ricky Howard from the original version of The Office , but his role is significantly expanded and he is a main character.-Character profile:Little is known about Ryan's...
, becoming the first cast member. He is also a writer and co-executive producer for the series. On July 21, 2010, news reports indicated Novak had signed a contract to remain with the show for its 7th and 8th seasons; under the new terms, he would be made a full executive producer midway through Season 7 and also direct two episodes of the show, as well as becoming the latest cast member to also have a deal with NBC to develop other shows. In a June 2009 interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
, Novak spoke about sharing the success of The Office with his Newton South High School
Newton South High School
Newton South High School is one of two public high schools in the city of Newton, Massachusetts, the other being Newton North.-Mission statement:Newton South High School, a community of students, parents, faculty, and staff,...
classmate John Krasinski
John Krasinski
John Burke Krasinski is an American actor, film director, and writer. He is most widely known for playing Jim Halpert on the NBC sitcom The Office...
: He has claimed that his all time favorite episode of "The Office" is "The Injury
The Injury
"The Injury" is the twelfth episode of the second season of the American comedy television series The Office—the show's eighteenth episode overall...
."
In addition to his television credits, Novak has appeared in the films Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Minors is a 2006 comedy film directed by Paul Feig and starring Dyllan Christopher, Lewis Black, Wilmer Valderrama, Tyler James Williams, Brett Kelly, Gina Mantegna, and Quinn Shephard. Unaccompanied Minors has been rated PG by the MPAA for "mild rude humor and language"...
, Reign Over Me, Knocked Up
Knocked Up
Knocked Up is a 2007 American romantic comedy drama film co-produced, written, and directed by Judd Apatow. Starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann, the film follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between Rogen's slacker character and Heigl's just-promoted...
and Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
's Inglourious Basterds.
As actor
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Punk'd Punk'd Punk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers... |
Field Agent | TV series |
| 2005–present | The Office | Ryan Howard Ryan Howard (The Office) Ryan Bailey Howard , played by B. J. Novak, is a fictional character on the US television sitcom The Office. He is based upon Ricky Howard from the original version of The Office , but his role is significantly expanded and he is a main character.-Character profile:Little is known about Ryan's... |
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2006, 2007) Nominated: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2008) Nominated: Prism Award for Best performance in a Comedy Series (2009) |
| 2006 2006 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006... |
Unaccompanied Minors Unaccompanied Minors Unaccompanied Minors is a 2006 comedy film directed by Paul Feig and starring Dyllan Christopher, Lewis Black, Wilmer Valderrama, Tyler James Williams, Brett Kelly, Gina Mantegna, and Quinn Shephard. Unaccompanied Minors has been rated PG by the MPAA for "mild rude humor and language"... |
Flight Attendant | |
| 2007 2007 in film This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007... |
Reign Over Me | Mr. Fallon | |
| Knocked Up Knocked Up Knocked Up is a 2007 American romantic comedy drama film co-produced, written, and directed by Judd Apatow. Starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann, the film follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between Rogen's slacker character and Heigl's just-promoted... |
Unnamed Doctor | ||
| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
Inglourious Basterds | Pfc. Smithson Utivich | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... |
The Smurfs The Smurfs (film) The Smurfs is a 2011 American 3D family film based on The Smurfs comic book series created by Peyo and the 1980s animated TV series it spawned. It was directed by Raja Gosnell and stars Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria, Jayma Mays, and Sofía Vergara. It is the first CGI/live-action hybrid film to... |
Baker Smurf |
As writer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–2002 | Raising Dad Raising Dad Raising Dad is an American television series that aired on the WB from September 2001 until May 2002. The series starred Bob Saget, Kat Dennings, Brie Larson, Riley Smith, Beau Wirick, and Jerry Adler.-Premise:... |
2 episodes |
| 2005–present | The Office | Episodes written:
Writers Guild of America Award for Comedy Series (2006) Nominated: Writers Guild of America Award for a Comedy Series (2005, 2007, 2008) Nominated: Writers Guild of America Award for a New Series (2005) Nominated: Writers Guild of America Award for an Episodic Comedy (2005, 2007) |
As director
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Office – Blackmail Blackmail (Webisodes) Blackmail is a spin-off series of mini-episodes of The Office; it premiered as original internet-only content, available online at NBC.com.-Cast:*Creed Bratton as Creed Bratton*Oscar Nunez as Oscar Martinez*Kate Flannery as Meredith Palmer... webisode series |
4 episodes |
| 2009 | The Office – Scott's Tots Scott's Tots "Scott's Tots" is the 12th episode of the sixth season of the U.S. comedy series The Office and the show's 112th episode overall. It was written by Gene Stupnitsky & Lee Eisenberg and directed by B. J. Novak, which marks his directorial debut on the network series... |
aired 12/03/09 |
| 2011 | The Office - The Seminar The Seminar "The Seminar" is the fourteenth episode of seventh season of the American comedytelevision series The Office, and the show's 140th episode overall. Written by Steve Hely and directed by B. J. Novak, the episode aired January 27, 2011 on NBC.... |
aired 1/27/11 |
| The Office - The List The List The List is an Edinburgh-based fortnightly entertainment event listings magazine first published in 1985.It contains listings, news and reviews of film, music, shopping, books, comedy, clubs, art, sports, LGBT, food and drink in and around Scotland.... |
aired 9/22/11 |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Group | Award | Won | Film/Television series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Writers Guild of America Awards | New Series | No | The Office |
| Episodic Comedy - for episode Diversity Day | No | |||
| Comedy Series | No | |||
| 2006 | Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"... |
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Yes | |
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Comedy Series | Yes | ||
| Emmy Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | Yes | ||
| 2007 | Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"... |
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Yes | |
| Emmy Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | No | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Episodic Comedy - for episode Local Ad Local Ad "Local Ad" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's sixty-second episode overall. The episode was written by B. J. Novak, who also acts in the show as Ryan Howard, and directed by Jason Reitman... |
No | ||
| Comedy Series | No | |||
| 2008 | Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Awards A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"... |
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | No | |
| Emmy Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | No | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Comedy Series | No | ||
| 2009 | Prism Awards | Performance in a Comedy Series | No |
External links
- B. J. Novak biography at the official NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
website - "The Office's BJ Novak: Uncut", an NPR interview from May 2008