Benjamin Joseph Manaly “B. J.” Novak (born July 31, 1979) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and director. As an actor, he has appeared in films, including Knocked Up and Inglourious Basterds, and plays Ryan Howard on the NBC sitcom The Office. He is also a writer and co-executive producer for the Emmy Award-winning show.
Novak was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of Linda and William Novak. Novak's father co-...
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Benjamin Joseph Manaly “B. J.” Novak (born July 31, 1979) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and director. As an actor, he has appeared in films, including Knocked Up and Inglourious Basterds, and plays Ryan Howard on the NBC sitcom The Office. He is also a writer and co-executive producer for the Emmy Award-winning show.
Novak was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of Linda and William Novak. Novak's father co-edited The Big Book of Jewish Humor and has ghostwritten memoirs for Nancy Reagan, Lee Iacocca, and others; Novak's parents also established a Jewish matchmaking service. Novak has two younger brothers, Jesse and Lev. 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. In addition to the Lampoon, he occasionally staged and performed in a variety show called The B.J....
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