B.J. Novak, who has played Ryan Howard on “The Office” since its first American episode in 2005, will not be back for the series’ ninth season, according to Entertainment Weekly. Behind the scenes, Novak was also a writer-producer on the show.
The door is open for Novak to return on a rucurring basis.
Novak’s fellow “Office” writer-producer Mindy Kaling, who played Ryan’s longtime off-again girlfriend Kelly Kapoor since episode two, won’t be returning to “The Office” either, as she is currently writing, producing and starring in Fox’s fast-approaching new sitcom “The Mindy Project.”
Novak is an executive producer on “The Mindy Project. In 2008, he left “The Office” for a number of episodes to play Private Smithson “The Little Man” Utivich in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.”
James Spader, who joined the cast at the end of season seven, won’t be back as Robert California next season. All other longtime cast members, including Rainn Wilson, Jenna Fischer, John Krasinki and Ed Helms, are returning.
Greg Daniels (“King of the Hill,” “Parks and Recreation”), who masterminded the American version of “The Office” since its inception, has been less active in writing the series in recent years but has indicated he will take a more active role in the series’ upcoming season.
Find all of EW’s story on the matter here.
