Directed credits
0
Emerging
Beginning to build directing work.
Director
B. J. Novak
Acting
Career Snapshot
ExplainedThese indicators come from TMDB. They are relative signals, not review ratings.
TMDB popularity
1.5
Low visibility
TMDB internal trend index. Higher usually means more searches and page activity now.
Directed movies: 0Directed series: 0All crew credits: 6
TMDB ID: 107770
IMDb ID: nm1145983
Known for: Acting
Born: July 31, 1979
Age: 46
Place of birth: Newton, Massachusetts, USA
Gender: Male
Adult content flag: No
Career span: 1992 - 2026
Years active: 35
Average TMDB rating: 6.58
Wikidata: Q459925
Also known as
B.J. Novak • BJ Novak • Benjamin Joseph Manaly Novak • بی. جی. نواک
Frequent jobs
Writer (3)Executive Producer (2)Thanks (1)
Biography
Benjamin Joseph Manaly Novak (born July 31, 1979) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, author, and producer. He gained traction as a comedian during the early 2000s before becoming a field agent for the MTV reality prank show Punk'd (2003). Novak had his breakout with a leading role as Ryan Howard on seasons 1–8 of the NBC mockumentary sitcom The Office (2005–2013). His acting, writing and producing for the show earned him two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Writers Guild of America Award, alongside five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. In the late 2000s, Novak had supporting roles in the films Reign Over Me (2007) and Inglourious Basterds (2009). In the 2010s, he portrayed musician Robert B. Sherman in Saving Mr. Banks (2013) and Marvel Comics character Alistair Smythe in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). He had a starring role as Harry J. Sonneborn in the biographical film The Founder (2016) and voiced Baker Smurf in The Smurfs (2011) and The Smurfs 2 (2013). In television, he had a recurring role as Lucas Pruit on the HBO series The Newsroom (2014). In the 2020s, Novak made his film directorial debut with Vengeance (2022), which he also produced and starred in. He created and wrote the FX on Hulu anthology series The Premise (2021). In addition to his film and television career, Novak authored the books One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories (2014) and The Book with No Pictures (2014). Description above from the Wikipedia article B.J. Novak, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Photos
Movies
Upcoming Movies
Next announced movie projects with B. J. Novak.
Movies
Top Rated Movies
Highest rated movies linked with B. J. Novak.
8.2
Inglourious Basterds
as PFC. Smithson Utivich
2009 Movie
7.3
Saving Mr. Banks
as Robert Sherman
2013 Movie
7.2
Reign Over Me
as Mr. Fallon
2007 Movie
7.1
The Founder
as Harry J. Sonneborn
2016 Movie
6.6
Vengeance
Writer
2022 Movie
6.5
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
as Allistar Smythe
2014 Movie
6.4
Late Night
Thanks
2019 Movie
6.3
Knocked Up
as Young Doctor
2007 Movie
6.2
The Internship
as Male Interviewer
2013 Movie
6.2
The Dictator
as (uncredited)
2012 Movie
6.0
Unaccompanied Minors
as Desk Attendant
2006 Movie
5.8
The Smurfs
as Baker Smurf (voice)
2011 Movie
Series
Top Rated Series
Highest rated series linked with B. J. Novak.
8.6
The Office
Writer • 15 eps
2005 Series
8.3
Lessons in Chemistry
as Six-Thirty (voice) • 1 eps
2023 Series
8.1
The Newsroom
as Lucas Pruit • 4 eps
2012 Series
8.0
Community
as Mr. Egypt • 1 eps
2009 Series
7.5
Poker Face
as Hiram Lubinski • 1 eps
2023 Series
7.2
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
as Self - Guest • 2 eps
1993 Series
7.1
Conan
as Self • 1 eps
2010 Series
7.0
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
as Self • 1 eps
2009 Series
6.8
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
as B.J. Novak • 1 eps
2015 Series
6.2
The Mindy Project
Executive Producer • 117 eps
2012 Series
6.2
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
2015 Series
6.0
Real Time with Bill Maher
as Self • 1 eps
2003 Series
Movies
Most Popular Movies
Most viewed movie titles linked with B. J. Novak.
8.2
Inglourious Basterds
as PFC. Smithson Utivich
2009 Movie
6.5
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
as Allistar Smythe
2014 Movie
Apr 29
The Devil Wears Prada 2
2026 Movie
7.1
The Founder
as Harry J. Sonneborn
2016 Movie
6.2
The Dictator
as (uncredited)
2012 Movie
6.3
Knocked Up
as Young Doctor
2007 Movie
5.8
The Smurfs
as Baker Smurf (voice)
2011 Movie
7.3
Saving Mr. Banks
as Robert Sherman
2013 Movie
5.8
The Smurfs 2
as Baker Smurf (voice)
2013 Movie
6.4
Late Night
Thanks
2019 Movie
6.6
Vengeance
Writer
2022 Movie
6.0
Unaccompanied Minors
as Desk Attendant
2006 Movie
Series
Most Popular Series
Most viewed series linked with B. J. Novak.
8.6
The Office
Writer • 15 eps
2005 Series
5.0
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
as Self - Guest • 6 eps
2009 Series
5.3
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self • 1 eps
2014 Series
6.2
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
2015 Series
7.1
Conan
as Self • 1 eps
2010 Series
8.0
Community
as Mr. Egypt • 1 eps
2009 Series
4.3
The View
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
1997 Series
6.0
Real Time with Bill Maher
as Self • 1 eps
2003 Series
7.2
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
as Self - Guest • 2 eps
1993 Series
6.2
The Mindy Project
Executive Producer • 117 eps
2012 Series
7.5
Poker Face
as Hiram Lubinski • 1 eps
2023 Series
5.4
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
as Self • 1 eps
1992 Series
Movies
Other Crew Work in Movies
Additional movie credits for B. J. Novak.
Series
Other Crew Work in Series
Additional series credits for B. J. Novak.
Movies
Acting Appearances in Movies
Movie cast credits for B. J. Novak.
Apr 29
The Devil Wears Prada 2
2026 Movie
6.6
Vengeance
as Ben Manalowitz
2022 Movie
7.1
The Founder
as Harry J. Sonneborn
2016 Movie
6.5
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
as Allistar Smythe
2014 Movie
Comedy Warriors: Healing Through Humor
as Self - Coach
2014 Movie
7.3
Saving Mr. Banks
as Robert Sherman
2013 Movie
5.8
The Smurfs 2
as Baker Smurf (voice)
2013 Movie
6.2
The Internship
as Male Interviewer
2013 Movie
7.5
The Office Retrospective
as Self
2013 Movie
7.6
The Bitter Buddha
as Self
2012 Movie
6.2
The Dictator
as (uncredited)
2012 Movie
5.8
The Smurfs
as Baker Smurf (voice)
2011 Movie
Series
Acting Appearances in Series
Series cast credits for B. J. Novak.
8.3
Lessons in Chemistry
as Six-Thirty (voice) • 1 eps
2023 Series
7.5
Poker Face
as Hiram Lubinski • 1 eps
2023 Series
6.3
Celebrity Jeopardy!
as Self • 1 eps
2022 Series
6.3
The Premise
as Self - Host • 5 eps
2021 Series
7.5
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
as Count Rugen • 1 eps
2020 Series
6.4
Some Good News
as Self • 1 eps
2020 Series
6.8
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
as B.J. Novak • 1 eps
2015 Series
6.2
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
as Self - Guest • 1 eps
2015 Series
5.3
Late Night with Seth Meyers
as Self • 1 eps
2014 Series
6.2
The Mindy Project
as Jamie • 5 eps
2012 Series
8.1
The Newsroom
as Lucas Pruit • 4 eps
2012 Series
7.1
Conan
as Self • 1 eps
2010 Series