B.J. Novak may still be best known for his role as Ryan Howard on The Office, but he is so much more than the temp who flew too close to the sun and burned a cheesy pita. Not only did he also write and direct for The Office, but his career has since spun in a number of different directions.
Currently, Novak is involved with a couple of television shows and a Blumhouse film, each of which ushers in a new phase of his career that has been building since his debut book, One More Thing, published in 2014. From superhero stories and some of the biggest comedies of the 2000s to television guest stints that lasted more than one episode, Novak has a number of famous projects beloved by fans.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2: 6.6
Considering Sony quickly pulled the plug on their rebooted Spider-Man franchise starring Andrew Garfield, it can be easy to forget that B.J. Novak was cast in the film as Alistair Smythe, the inventor of the Spider-Slayers.
It's a brief turn in the film for Novak, but it was likely a role that was set up for more in the future, considering Smythe becomes the Ultimate Spider-Slayer. Now that Novak is involved with a number of exciting original projects, it might be for the best that the MCU stepped in on the character with Tom Holland.
Knocked Up: 6.9
However, there were also some smaller parts for comedic actors who would later explode into the zeitgeist, including Adam Scott, Bill Hader, Nick Thune, and, of course, B.J. Novak. He only played an unnamed doctor, but every little role helps to build a career.
The Founder: 7.2
Nine years later, B.J. Novak would have a pivotal role in a dramatic film from director John Lee Hancock, whose sports film, The Founder did not garner similar accolades, but it was certainly widely praised.
The film told the story of how Ray Kroc wrestled control of McDonald's away from the McDonald brothers. Novak's role was as Harry Sonneborn, a financial whiz kid who brought real estate into the franchising endeavors of McDonald's. It's a cynical performance, but Novak sells it supremely well.
Reign Over Me: 7.4
Just as Knocked Up is much more ed as a Rogen movie than a Novak one, Reign Over Me is clearly a Don Cheadle film with a major platform for one of those coveted dramatic turns by Adam Sandler. The 9/11 drama also counts Novak among its cast , though.
IMDb s definitely appreciated the careful emotionality of the film. Even if Novak played a tiny role, lawyer Mr. Fallon, he still helped contribute to the overall weight of the story. There are no small parts.
The Mindy Project: 7.4
At the end of season eight of The Office, B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling (fellow Office star and writer, as well as close friend and collaborator) departed the series to bring The Mindy Project to life. The Fox/Hulu rom-com was Kaling's baby, but Novak helped with writing, directing, and producing in the early days.
He also starred as one of Mindy's short-lived love interests, Jamie. It was so much fun to watch a healthier version of Mindy and B.J. on-screen and Jamie managed to stop by a couple of times, rather than for just one installment.
Saving Mr. Banks: 7.5
The first time Novak collaborated with the aforementioned John Lee Hancock came in 2013 when he played Robert B. Sherman, the songwriter behind many Disney songs ("It's a Small World," "There's a Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow"), in Saving Mr. Banks.
Starring opposite Jason Schwartzman (who portrayed Bob's brother, Richard M. Sherman), the story of how Mary Poppins came to life is a gorgeous one and perhaps the most underrated in Novak's filmography. He provides real heart to the film and he also naps on a couch while Dick plays piano with Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. What more could anyone want?
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend: 7.8
On Community, as Mr. Egypt in the season five finale. However, the fact that his cameos on Crazy spread out over two episodes in two different seasons earns the musical darling a spot on the list.
Novak played himself on the show, so it's not as if the acting was a major stretch for him. But he is such a calming and welcome screen presence that it was nice to see him hang out with Rachel Bloom and company all the same.
Inglourious Basterds: 8.3
In one of the best Quentin Tarantino films, 2009's Inglourious Basterds, B.J. Novak portrays Smithson Utivich. Utivich is a close companion of Brad Pitt's Aldo Raine, the leader of the Basterds.
Obviously, Pitt leads the film, with Christoph Waltz stealing the show, but it's Novak who gets a ton of play in scenes between the two actors and even helps anchor the final scene of the movie. The movie is an acclaimed one and, for Novak, it helped show he was more than just a TV comedy actor (which is great enough as it is!)
The Newsroom: 8.6
Returning to the realm of television, it was only a matter of time before Novak collaborated with Aaron Sorkin. The two are dialogue savants and Novak has a just-cool-enough air about him to hang with one of Sorkin's myriad TV series.
Considering he was too young for Sports Night when that was on, the next best thing was The Newsroom. There, Novak had a mini-arc in season three for four episodes as Lucas Pruitt. He was often put in his place by more venerated characters on the show, but it was at least a more fun guest spot than the more dour and depressing turn by Office co-star and co-writer, Paul Lieberstein.
The Office: 8.9
Speaking of The Office, it still ranks among Novak's top projects in his IMDb-ranked filmography. And it's not too surprising. After all, Novak was one of the main cast on the show and wrote some of the series' best episodes, including "Diversity Day," "Initiation," and "Threat Level Midnight."
As Ryan Howard, Novak executed the transition from eager upstart to cocky wunderkind to hipster one-liner machine perfectly. Give The Office another watch and it becomes obvious how Ryan is one of the sneaky best characters on the series, even if he's beyond unlikeable. That's a testament to B.J. Novak.