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Benjamin Joseph Manaly NovakΒ (born July 31, 1979) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, author, and producer. He gained traction as a comedian during the early 2000s before becoming aΒ field agentΒ for theΒ MTVΒ reality prank showΒ Punk'dΒ (2003).
Novak had his breakout with a leading role asΒ Ryan HowardΒ on seasons 1β8 of theΒ NBC mockumentary sitcomΒ The OfficeΒ (2005β2013). His acting, writing and producing for the show earned him twoΒ Screen Actors Guild AwardsΒ and aΒ Writers Guild of America Award, alongside five nominations for theΒ Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
In the late 2000s, Novak had supporting roles in the filmsΒ Reign Over MeΒ (2007) andΒ Inglourious BasterdsΒ (2009). In the 2010s, he portrayed musicianΒ Robert B. ShermanΒ in Saving Mr. Banks (2013) andΒ Marvel ComicsΒ characterΒ Alistair SmytheΒ inΒ The Amazing Spider-Man 2Β (2014). He had a starring role asΒ Harry J. SonnebornΒ in the biographical filmΒ The FounderΒ (2016) and voiced Baker Smurf inΒ The SmurfsΒ (2011) andΒ The Smurfs 2Β (2013). In television, he had a recurring role as Lucas Pruit on the HBO seriesΒ The NewsroomΒ (2014).
In the 2020s, Novak made his film directorial debut withΒ VengeanceΒ (2022), which he also produced and starred in. He created and wrote theΒ FX on HuluΒ anthology seriesΒ The Premise (2021). In addition to his film and television career, Novak authored the booksΒ One More Thing: Stories and Other StoriesΒ (2014) andΒ The Book with No PicturesΒ (2014).
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