(NEW YORK)— PEN America announced today that award-winning actor, director and bestselling author B.J. Novak will host the organization’s annual Literary Gala on May 14 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Best known for his television role in The Office, on which he was also a writer and executive producer, Novak is also a #1 New York Times bestselling author of One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories and the children’s book The Book with No Pictures, both acclaimed for their wit and imagination. His work across television, film and publishing has established him as one of today’s most versatile creative voices.
“B.J. Novak is a brilliant creator in entertainment, film and publishing and we are thrilled and honored to have him host our annual gala,” said PEN America co-CEO Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf. “His exceptional and wide-ranging artistry on screen, on the page, and in writing rooms makes him ideal to celebrate the written word and free expression at a moment when governments want to censor and deny both at alarming levels.”
A highlight of the New York literary and social calendar, PEN America’s Literary Gala brings together leading writers, journalists, publishers, and cultural figures to raise funds supporting the organization’s mission to defend free expression and protect writers at risk. Held in the museum’s “whale room,” the event spotlights an imprisoned writer of conscience and honors luminaries whose work embodies creative and civic courage.
Previously announced honorees include Ann Patchett, who will receive the PEN/Audible Literary Service Award, and Jason Blum, founder and CEO of Blumhouse, who will be honored with the Business Visionary award.
David Remnick and Kwame Anthony Appiah are chairing the event, and more than 50 writers, including Sigrid Nunez, Elin Hilderbrand, Walter Mosely, and Griffin Dunne, will serve as literary hosts at each table.
The illustrious roster of past honorees include President Barack Obama, Ava DuVernay, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Bob Woodward, Stephen King, Patti Smith, the late Toni Morrison, Stephen Sondheim, Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Zadie Smith, Saturday Night Live (SNL) creator, writer and executive producer Lorne Michaels, Paul Simon, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
B.J. NOVAK BIO
B.J. Novak is a writer, actor, director and producer whose work spans television, film, books and digital media. An Emmy®-nominated, and WGA and SAG Ensemble Award-winning multi-hyphenate, Novak first gained attention on MTV’s Punk’d before earning worldwide recognition for portraying Ryan Howard and serving as a writer and executive producer on NBC’s landmark comedy series The Office—establishing himself as one of the most versatile and consistently compelling voices in contemporary entertainment.
As a filmmaker and actor, Novak brings a rare blend of comedic subtlety, sincerity, and screen presence to every project. Often playing characters navigating ambition, image and status, his performances carry a self-awareness that feels both recognizable and timely, delivered with a uniquely ironic charm. His credits include Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, John Lee Hancock’s Saving Mr. Banks, The Founder opposite Michael Keaton, Aaron Sorkin’s The Newsroom, and the critically acclaimed Vengeance, which Novak also wrote and directed. He will next be seen co-starring in Disney’s The Devil Wears Prada 2 alongside Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. The film hits theaters worldwide on May 1.
His work as an actor continues to attract collaborators across genres and formats. He is currently developing several projects spanning film, television, publishing, and digital media with a creative slate that reflects both his range and his commitment to original, idea-driven work.
Novak’s debut literary work, the New York Times bestseller One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, earned widespread critical acclaim, cementing his reputation as a writer of singular wit and imagination. His children’s book, The Book With No Pictures, became a publishing phenomenon—a New York Times bestseller that spent 192 weeks on the list—34 of them at #1—redefining how young readers experience storytelling.
An entrepreneur as well, Novak co-founded Chain, a celebrated LA-based gourmet pop-up offering whimsical reinventions of beloved American fast-food classics that recently partnered with Gordon Ramsey and Fox to expand into new arenas. Whether on the page, behind the camera, or in front of it, Novak remains one of the industry’s most respected and sought-after creative forces.
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.