Kal Penn
Kal Penn
Harold and Kumar, House, 24
Kalpen Suresh Modi, best known as Kal Penn, is an American actor and politician. His film and television credits include House, M.D., 24, Van Wilder, and the Harold & Kumar film series.
In May 2007, he received the Asian Excellence Award for Outstanding Actor for his performance in The Namesake.
On April 2009, he joined the Obama White House as Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. This necessitated that his character Lawrence Kutner be written out of the TV series House, M.D.. He served as a liaison with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities.
One year later, Kal announced that he is leaving his political post to return to his acting career. First up: a new Harold & Kumar movie, this one with a Christmas theme. New Line Studios has confirmed that the movie, to be directed by newcomer Todd Strauss Schulson, will begin filming in late June 2010 with an eye on a holiday 2011 release.
Prior to his political engagement, Kal taught at the University of Pennsylvania as an adjunct member in the Cinema Studies Program. Quite contrary to the character he plays in the runaway hit movie series Harold and Kumar...., he is a non-smoker, teetotaler and strict vegetarian since birth.