Kal Penn
Born: 1977-04-23 in Montclair, New Jersey, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
Kalpen Suresh Modi (born April 23, 1977) is an American actor, author, comedian, and former White House staff member in the Obama administration. He is best known for his role as Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar movie franchise. He is also known for his roles as Lawrence Kutner on the television program House, White House staffer Seth Wright on Designated Survivor, Kevin in How I Met Your Mother and Nikhil Ganguli in the film The Namesake (2006). In early 2009, Penn was offered the position of Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, which he accepted, necessitating his character Lawrence Kutner being written out of the TV series House. In 2020, Penn wrote a memoir called "You Can't Be Serious". While promoting this memoir, Penn announced that he and his boyfriend of 11 years, named Josh, were engaged
Filmography
2025
- Celebrity Weakest Link as Self - Contestant
2024
- The Underdoggs as Ryan Kauffman
2023
- Scott Pilgrim Takes Off as Ventakish (voice)
- Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong as Self
2022
- Smile as Dr. Morgan Desai
- The Santa Clauses as Simon Choksi
2021
- Celebrity Wheel of Fortune as Self - Contestant
- Clarice as Shaan Tripathi
- Name That Tune as Self - Contestant
- Untitled Horror Movie as Mark
- Hot Mess Holiday as Kal Penn
- Clarice: Behind the Scenes with Stars and Producers as Self
2020
- Mira, Royal Detective as Mikku (voice)
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire as Self - Contestant
- The Girl in the Woods
- Kal Penn Approves This Message as Self - Host
2019
- The Kelly Clarkson Show as Self
- Tamron Hall as Self - Guest
- A Little Late with Lilly Singh as Self
- Sunnyside as Garrett Modi
2018
- Fancy Nancy as Mr. Singh (voice)
- Lie Detector as Self
- The Ashram as Nitin
2017
- Speech & Debate as James
- The Layover as Anuj
- Once Upon a Time in Venice as Rajeesh
- Superhuman as Self - Host
- The Problem with Apu as Self
2016
- Designated Survivor as Seth Wright
- Match Game as Self - Panelist
- To Tell the Truth as Self - Panelist
- The $100,000 Pyramid as Self
- Better Off Single as Brice
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- The Late Late Show with James Corden as Self - Guest
- Emily & Tim as Tim (Segment 2)
- Battle Creek as Detective Fontanelle
- The Girl in the Photographs as Peter Hemmings
- The Sisterhood of Night as Gordy Gambhir
- The Big Picture with Kal Penn as Himself - Host
2014
- Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self
- A Prayer for Rain as Motwani
- Deadbeat as Clyde
2013
- Hollywood Game Night as Self
- We Are Men as Gil Bartis
- The Big Brain Theory as Self - Host
- Dementamania
2012
- Finding Your Roots as Self
2011
- American Horror Story as Mac Marzara
- New Girl as Tripp
- Impractical Jokers as Self
- A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas as Kumar Patel
- Harold & Kumars Yuletide Jamz as Kumar Patel
2010
2009
2008
- Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay as Kumar Patel
- Harold & Kumar Go to Amsterdam as Kumar
2007
- The Big Bang Theory as Kevin Campbell
- Epic Movie as Edward
2006
- Deck the Halls as Amit Sayid (uncredited)
- Superman Returns as Stanford
- Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj as Taj Mahal Badalandabad
- Man About Town as Alan Fineberg
- Bachelor Party Vegas as Z-Bob
- Awesometown as Guy Reading Newspaper
- The Namesake as Gogol / Nikhil
2005
- How I Met Your Mother as Kevin Venkataraghavan
- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
- Son of the Mask as Jorge
- A Lot Like Love as Jeeter
- Sueno as Raj
- Dancing in Twilight as Sam
2004
- House as Lawrence Kutner
- Homeland Security as Harrison
- Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle as Kumar Patel
- Ball and Chain as Bobby
- Where's the Party Yaar? as Mo
2003
- Love Don't Co$t a Thing as Kenneth Warman
- Tru Calling as Steven
- Cosmopolitan as Vandana's Fiancee
- Malibu's Most Wanted as Hadji
- All About the Andersons as Doctor George
- Regarding Ardy as Fred
2002
- National Lampoon's Van Wilder as Taj Mahal Badalandabad
2001
- 24 as Ahmed Amar
- The Agency as Malek
- American Desi as Ajay Pandya
1999
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Henry Chanoor
- Angel as Young Man in Fez
- Independent Lens as Jagdesh
- Freshmen as Ajay
1998
- Express: Aisle to Glory as Jackie Newton
1997
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Hunt
- The View as Self - Guest
1996
- The Daily Show as Self - Guest Host
- Sabrina, the Teenage Witch as Prajeeb
- Spin City as Buddy
1994
- ER as Narajan
1988
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
1979
- CBS News Sunday Morning as Self