B.J. Novak plays Jay Ravitz in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” and the actor described his character as a “problem” for the “Runway enterprise” at the movie’s splashy premiere at Lincoln Center on Monday night.
When Page Six helpfully offered up the word “douchebag” to describe his villainous character, the actor laughingly agreed.
“That would be a great word,” he told us exclusively, before cautioning that it was “your word, not mine, but that would be a great way to describe him.”
Novak joins the original cast of the 2006 film, which finds Andy (Anne Hathaway) returning to Runway magazine to help her old boss, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), as she navigates a new media landscape and her former assistant, Emily (Emily Blunt), who is now the head of a luxury brand.
The 46-year-old actor, however, isn’t sure why he’s called upon to play such unlikeable characters.
“You know, I should ask someone that,” he noted. “That’s what they always call me in for. Now that you mention it, why? I guess it’s not for me to figure out, I go where I’m needed.”
The comedian added that he “can’t think” about taking offense at being cast as a crooked character.
“Probably offense should be taken,” he joked, “but I’m happy to have the work, and it’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot of fun to play these guys.”
Novak, who is best known for his role as office temp turned Dunder Mifflin exec Ryan Howard in “The Office,” writing many of the show’s classic episodes, confessed it’s “jarring” to look back on the sitcom because he was so young.
“I think we were so cocky and scared that balance made us think we could or should do anything,” he explained. “You know how you are when you’re young, and then later you get scared, like, what am I doing?
“I would advise anyone who wants to do a scary job like this, just do it when you’re young because you don’t have time to worry or have imposter syndrome. Young people don’t have imposter syndrome.”
Novak, who looked chic in what we dubbed Gwyneth Paltrow’s civil lawsuit skiing accident glasses, appreciated our pop culture knowledge.
“Oh, nice reference, thank you,” he replied.
