Where would we be without The Office? The defining sitcom of the aughts minted many a comic voice, and B.J. Novak is one of them. The ensuing years have seen the comedian give us memorable turns in the dramatic realm, two children’s books, and a critically acclaimed directorial debut. He’s gracing our screens again this May in The Devil Wears Prada 2.
What’s something people get wrong about you?
I have no idea what they think about me, and whatever it is, they might well be right. If anyone’s wrong about me, it’s probably me. I’m too close to it.
What would you like the headline of your obituary to be?
“B.J. Novak Finally Dead.”
What do you want to see more of in your industry? Less of?
More happy dorkiness, less gloomy coolness.
Where do you feel most at home?
Alone, having just come up with an idea, and excited to share it, having no idea what people will think.
What grounds you, and what invigorates you?
It’s the same thing. Being around people who are trying to do the same thing I’m trying to do: make something that somehow feels special to other people. It makes me feel like I’m not crazy to try to do it.
What’s been the hardest part of your career so far?
Every minute I’m writing alone, which is most of the time.
What is your biggest vice? Your greatest virtue?
The same thing: caring how other people feel about what I do.
When’s the last time you laughed hysterically?
The fact that I can’t remember tells me I need to change my life, and for that I genuinely thank you, CULTURED magazine questionnaire.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in your field?
Slacking off in my field.
What keeps you up at night?
The coffee I drank at 3 p.m.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Summer, every year.
What question do you ask yourself most often while you’re making work?
“Am I crazy?”
Who do you call the most?
Call? My parents every Friday. Everyone else I text.
To read more from the 2026 CULT100 honorees, see the full list here.
in your life?
