B.J. Novak

B.J. Novak (born Benjamin Joseph Manaly Novak) is an actor, comedian, writer and director best known for playing Ryan Howard on The Office and for his longtime friendship with former costar Mindy Kaling. Novak grew up in Newton, Massachusetts, where he attended Newton South High School and befriended future The Office costar John Krasinski. He graduated from Harvard University in 2001 with a degree in English and Spanish literature. While at Harvard, Novak was a member of the Harvard Lampoon, the university’s humor publication.

After college, Novak moved to Los Angeles to pursue comedy and writing. He performed stand-up and worked as a writer before joining the cast of NBC’s The Office in 2005. Novak played Ryan Howard throughout the show’s nine-season run and also served as a writer, producer and occasional director. His work on the series earned five Primetime Emmy nominations, while the ensemble received two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

Beyond The Office, Novak appeared in films including Inglourious Basterds (2009), Saving Mr. Banks (2013) and The Founder (2016). In 2022, he wrote and directed the film Vengeance, which he also starred in. Novak is also a bestselling author whose books include The Book with No Pictures (2014) and One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories (2014). In 2026, he appeared in The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Novak dated Kaling, who played Kelly Kapoor on The Office, during the show’s run. The pair remained close friends after their romantic relationship ended, and he is the godfather of Kaling’s three children. Novak was linked to Delaney Rowe, a TikTok comedian, in late 2024, with their relationship reported in 2025.