BJ Novak interview: The actor and writer on preferring the company of children, channelling Nancy Reagan, and his mayoral ambitions

Novak is best known for his role as the temp Ryan in the American remake of 'The Office'

Novak says: 'Could you get me a girlfriend? I'm single at the moment' (AP)

Everyone bores me but children There is something about being a celebrity that makes adult conversations tiring. You talk about the same things again and again. Children are never predictable, they don't follow a format. They can say anything – and often do.

My father was a writer, but I didn't think of writing as glamorous at all It was only when I got older that the glamour of it became clear to me, and I realised how lucky I would be if I were able to do it professionally. But when I was younger, I just wanted to act, get rich and become famous.

Fame palls The fun parts of fame were great for a while, but not as much fun as I had imagined. When you get it, it just feels natural, because it means you have been doing your job properly. I think I thought it would have felt more like a victory, but it doesn't.

My father taught me how to get inside someone else's head He was the ghostwriter of Nancy Reagan's memoirs and he taught me how important it is to channel someone else's voice, not just in writing, but also in acting, and screenwriting. I've written a lot of dialogue for television now, and cadence is crucial. It's not your voice you're seeking, it's the character's.

The 1990s were a golden age for comedy Think about it: you had The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Friends. It taught me that great comedy could also be popular comedy, and that there is nothing wrong with popular comedy. It gave me a lot of faith to try to work in television myself.

Aim high and you sometimes get there While making [the American version of] The Office, we thought it was going to be a classic, but it doesn't always work that way. You always set out to do the best work possible. It still catches you by surprise when other people agree that you did.

Relationships are awkward In the US Office, my character was dating Mindy Kaling's, an on/off relationship that we also had in real life. Actually, it wasn't so much on/off as constant fighting, and a lot of love as well. We never really split up as we were never really together. No one ever knew whether we were on or off. They got tired of asking.

Quentin Tarantino made me want to become a director After I acted in his film Inglourious Basterds, I knew I wanted to direct. It feels like a natural extension – to take something you've created all the way to the finishing line. That's why I visit schools now with my children's book. I get real joy when I take my work directly to the reader.

I love the cultural tapestry of a neighbourhood I'm from Boston, but I live in the Hollywood Hills. I've come to love the local side of LA much more than the Hollywood side. I have dreams of running for mayor some day. I'm not hugely political, I just love my town.

Children ask searching questions I did a reading in Walthamstow the other day. One child asked, with great concern, what would happen if her parents laughed so hard while reading my book that they did a wee.

Could you get me a girlfriend? I'm single at the moment. If you could introduce me to some of the most beautiful actresses while I'm here in London, that would do wonders for my image. Thanks.

BJ Novak, 35, is an actor, producer and writer. Best known for his role as the temp Ryan in the American remake of 'The Office', he is also the author of a short-story collection, 'One More Thing', and a children's book, 'The Book with No Pictures', published by Puffin, priced £12.99