Kal Penn Biography

Fast Facts

• Accepted the position of Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement in 2009 and worked as a liaison with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities in the Obama administration
• Is on the National Celebrity Cabinet for the Red Cross, helping to provide relief to victims of disasters
• Received the Asian Excellence Award for Outstanding Actor for his role in "The Namesake" in 2007
• Was active in his high school's theater program, later attending UCLA and double majoring in film and sociology
• Made his screen acting debut in the short film "Express: Aisle to Glory" in 1998
• Best known for his role as Kumar in the "Harold & Kumar" film series and as Dr․ Lawrence Kutner in "House M․D․"
• His breakthrough role came with the comedic film "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" in 2004, starring alongside John Cho in the film and its sequels
• Joined the cast of "House" as a regular character, but was eventually written out of the show due to conflicts with filming the show and his position at the White House
• Is best friends with former co-stars Neil Patrick Harris and John Cho, as well as actor Ryan Reynolds
• Wanted to produce an adaptation of "The Namesake" himself, but when he heard it was already being made by someone else, he lobbied for the main role and eventually won it, despite there already being an actor cast for the part
• Guest lectured at the University of Pennsylvania in 2007
• Was the host and producer of the game show "The Big Brain Theory" in 2013
• Wrote an article for Huffington Post in 2010 in response to racist comments made against Indian immigrants