BJ Novak is an American actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for being a writer and co-executive producer for and playing the role of Ryan Howard on the US version of The Office. Novak is also known to international audiences for appearing in the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds.

BJ was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of Linda and William. His father co-edited The Big Book of Jewish Humor and has ghostwritten memoirs for Nancy Reagan, Lee Iacocca, and others; his parents also established a Jewish matchmaking service.

BJ 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. He attended Harvard University, where he worked for the Harvard Lampoon and majored in History and Literature.