Blessed with an offbeat sense of humor, this Harvard graduate snagged his first professional entertainment job — as a writer for the short-lived sitcom
Raising Dad — three days after finishing college in 2001. Once the show folded, Novak turned to stand-up, appearing on late-night talk shows and landing on Variety's 2003 list of "10 Comics to Watch." As one of Ashton Kutcher's coconspirators on MTV's prank show
Punk'd, he duped a number of celebrities and turned in a memorable performance as Hilary Duff's driving instructor. But he became a star in 2005 when he signed on as a writer-producer for NBC's Emmy-winning sitcom
The Office, on which he played a temp on a career path full of highs and lows. While working on that show, Novak also began taking supporting roles in movies, including Quentin Tarantino's Oscar-nominated
Inglourious Basterds. When he's not on camera, Novak continues to perform stand-up.
B.J. Novak Fast Facts:
- Father is an author who has ghostwritten best-selling autobiographies for Nancy Reagan, Lee Iacocca and Oliver North, among others.
- Went to high school with The Office costar John Krasinski.
- Wrote for the Harvard Lampoon.
- Hired to write for WB sitcom Raising Dad just three days after graduating Harvard.
- Named one of Variety's Ten Comics to Watch in 2003.
- Won the attention of The Office's executive producer Greg Daniels while performing stand-up.
- B.J. Novak Relationships:
- Jesse Novak - Brother
- Lev Novak - Brother
- William Novak - Father
- Keough Novak - Sister
- B.J. Novak Awards:
- 2007 Emmy: Outstanding Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2008 Emmy: Outstanding Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2009 Emmy: Outstanding Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2010 Emmy: Outstanding Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2011 Emmy: Outstanding Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- College:
- Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (BA in English and Spanish Literature, 2001)