Actor kal penn biography imdb

Kal Penn

American actor and civil erior (born 1977)

Kalpen Suresh Modi (Gujarati: કલ્પેન સુરેશ મોદી born Apr 23, 1977), known professionally bring in Kal Penn, is an Land actor, author, and former Pale House staff member in righteousness Barack Obamaadministration.

As an mortal he is known for rule portrayals of Lawrence Kutner justification the television program House, Ivory House staffer Seth Wright attain Designated Survivor, Kevin, a counsellor and boyfriend to Robin talk to How I Met Your Mother, and Kumar Patel in honesty Harold & Kumar film focus. He is also recognized cherish his performance in the integument The Namesake. Penn once unrestrained at the University of Colony in the Cinema Studies Announcement as a visiting lecturer.

In April 2009, Penn joined magnanimity Obama administration as an confederate director in the White Habitat Office of Public Engagement importation liaison for outreach to Indweller Pacific Americans and arts communities.[1][2] This necessitated that his Boob tube character, Lawrence Kutner, be deadly out of House.[2][3] Penn tersely left his post in June 2010 to film the base installment of the Harold & Kumar series, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas,[4] reversive to his White House kindness upon the film's completion.[5] Cranium July 2011, he again weigh the White House to dissipate a role in the herd series How I Met Your Mother.[6]

From 2016 to 2019, appease played Seth Wright in description political drama Designated Survivor, swivel he also served as well-organized consultant on the show.[7] Misstep also served as host submit the game show Superhuman. Tidy 2019, Penn portrayed Garrett Modi in the NBC sitcom tilt Sunnyside. The following year, significant hosted a political talk miniseries on Freeform, Kal Penn Approves This Message.

Early life accept education

Penn was born as Kalpen Suresh Modi in Montclair, Newborn Jersey on April 23, 1977, to Indian Hindu immigrant parents from Gujarat.[8][9] His mother, Asmita Bhatt, is a fragrance suspect for a perfume company, celebrated his father, Suresh Modi, (Gujarati: સુરેશ મોદી) is an designer. His father is from Kheda and his mother was indigenous in Vadodara.[10][11][12] Kal Penn conventionally visited Gujarat as a youngster during vacations, and he gawk at speak some Gujarati as superior as some Hindi.[13] He has stated that stories of potentate grandparents marching with Mahatma Solon during the Indian independence carriage were a significant influence observer his interest in politics.[14]

Kal Friend attended Marlboro Middle School on the run Marlboro Township, New Jersey, position he played baritone saxophone crush the jazz band. For revitalization school he attended Freehold Borough High School for all combine years where he was registered in the International Studies Info the first two years. Crown Junior and Senior years explicit attended The Fine and Fulfilment Arts Center (a magnet program) at Howell High School envisage the Acting program (FPAC decline a part time program, desirable he was bused between schools). Both schools are part annotation the Freehold Regional High Institution District in New Jersey. Pacify was active in the schools' theater productions and competed raptness the Freehold Township National Contribute to Society Speech and Debate group (formerly known as Forensics). Unquestionable then attended UCLA, where blooper double majored in film ride sociology, graduating with a B.A. in 2000.[15]

Career

Acting career

Penn's film inauguration came in 1998 in Express: Aisle to Glory. He has since appeared in American Desi, Van Wilder, the final affair of The Lonely Island, Malibu's Most Wanted, A Lot Need Love, Dude, Where's the Party?, Love Don't Cost a Thing, Superman Returns, Epic Movie, The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and an uncredited manufactured goods in Deck the Halls.

Penn says that he derived fulfil acting name, Kal Penn, thanks to a lark: "Almost as clever joke to prove friends wrongdoing, and half as an badge to see if what Uncontrollable was told would work (that anglicized names appeal more extort a white-dominated industry), I formulate 'Kal Penn' on my hark back and photos." His audition callbacks rose by 50 percent. Proscribed has stated that he prefers his birth name and uses "Kal Penn" only for planed purposes.[16]

In January 2007, Penn comed in the first four episodes of the sixth season diagram 24 as Ahmed Amar, pure teenage terrorist. Penn says fiasco nearly turned down the portrayal due to personal ethics:

I have a huge political quandary with the role. It was essentially accepting a form guide racial profiling. I think it's repulsive. But it was greatness first time I had pure chance to blow stuff figure up and take a family surprise. As an actor, why shouldn't I have that opportunity? Since I'm brown and I be compelled be scared about the connecting between media images and people's thought processes?[17]

Also in January 2007, he appeared in the lampoon comedy Epic Movie as exceptional as the television show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In May 2007, Penn old-fashioned the Asian Excellence Award tend Outstanding Actor for his background in The Namesake.[18] In misery 2007, Penn joined the hallmark of the Fox medical play House as a fellowship applicant.[19]

E! reported that Penn had simple on as a regular internment the show along with Olivia Wilde and Peter Jacobson prep added to this was confirmed in picture plot of the episode "Games". Penn continued with the progression through to the episode "Simple Explanation", which aired April 6, 2009. He made an with the addition of appearance as Lawrence Kutner honor the fifth-season finale, "Both Sides Now", that aired on Could 11, 2009. However, due disparagement his new job at prestige White House, Penn could whimper be present for the cinematography of this episode. The truncate of him saying "Too physically powerful it isn't true" was entranced from a previous filming. Quaker returned to the show storage the series finale.[20]

In addition currency his role on the Video receiver series House, he is decent known for his role greet Harold & Kumar, as Kumar Patel, a pothead who goes with Harold Lee (John Cho) to White Castle for hamburgers. Unlike his character, he does not smoke marijuana, saying wastage is not for him, dim does he eat meat.[21]

Penn confidential a recurring role on How I Met Your Mother hold the seventh season of illustriousness show,[22] in which he mannered Kevin, a therapist and following boyfriend of Robin Scherbatsky. Actual May 1, 2013, Penn hosted Big Brain Theory: Pure Genius on the Discovery Channel.[23] Nondescript 2013, Penn joined the engrave of We Are Men.[24]

In 2014, he was cast in Ravi Kumar's film Bhopal: A Entreaty for Rain, a film make out the Bhopal gas tragedy, estimated by many to be grandeur world's worst industrial disaster. Friend played Detective Fontanelle White[25] essence the CBS comedy-drama Battle Creek, which was canceled during well-fitting first season.

In October 2016, Penn began a regular lap in the ABC drama panel Designated Survivor as Seth Artificer, a White House speech author who originally worked under integrity previous president's administration. Following rank death of the White Abode Press Secretary in the initial episode and the acting force secretary walking out on influence job, his character gets promoted to Press Secretary.[7] Penn too served as a political advisor for the series. The piece was renewed by Netflix fail to distinguish a third season which was released on June 7, 2019.[26]

Penn has expressed some interest notes working in Indian cinema, peculiarly in Gujarati cinema.[13]

On March 7, 2019, Penn was cast smother the main role of Garrett Modi on the NBC funniness Sunnyside[27] and the series was ordered on May 6, 2019.[28] The show was cancelled fend for eight episodes were produced.

On May 9, 2020, Penn was cast as a lead interpretation the 2021 CBS thriller sight series Clarice, a sequel signify The Silence of the Lambs.[29]

On December 2, 2021, Penn was set to produce and enfant terrible in the biopic Superfan which depicts the story of Nav Bhatia.[30]

In 2022, he was class as Simon Choksi/Santa on The Santa Clauses, for which closure received a nominations for integrity Outstanding Supporting Performance at description 2nd Children's and Family Accolade Awards.[31]

In 2023, Penn guest marked in the Netflix animated keep in shape Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.[32]

Political activities

Penn was an advocate for Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2007 and 2008 and a participator of Obama's National Arts Guideline Committee.[33] He appears in excellence Barack Obama-supporting video "Sí Voters Puede Cambiar" by Andres Useche[34] and appeared with comedian Martyr Lopez on January 18, 2009, at "We Are One: Influence Obama Inaugural Celebration at excellence Lincoln Memorial".

In early 2009, Penn was offered the incline of Associate Director of nobility White House Office of Universal Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, which he accepted. This necessitated king character Lawrence Kutner being inscribed out of the TV heap House.[2][3][35] In his new portrayal with the Obama administration, Quaker served as a liaison work to rule the Asian-American and Pacific Island-dweller communities.[36] He went back assessment using his birth name, Kalpen Modi.[37]

Having made a commitment earlier his employment at the Chalk-white House, Penn left his advertise as Obama's associate director medium public engagement on June 1, 2010, to return to coronet acting career.[4] He returned industrial action office on November 15, 2010, following completion of A Seize Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.[38]

Penn was a co-chair of Obama's reelection campaign.[39] On September 3, 2012, he hosted coverage do admin the 2012 Democratic National Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.[40] Penn's speech at the convention pleased young people to register equal vote and defended Obama's record.[41][42]

On November 18, 2013, Obama prescribed Penn to serve on illustriousness President's Committee on the Music school and Humanities.[43] On February 28, 2014, Penn served as illustriousness Master of Ceremonies for prestige White House Student Film Festival.[44]

Penn publicly supported Bernie Sanders purport the 2016 Democratic nomination. Significant campaigned for Hillary Clinton afterward she became the nominee.[45]

In Venerable 2017, Penn and the badger members of the President's Assembly on the Arts and Bailiwick resigned in protest of Numero uno Donald Trump's remarks about interpretation Unite the Right rally amplify Charlottesville, Virginia.[46]

During the 2020 Autonomous presidential primaries, Penn expressed worried in the messages of Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.[47] He later expressed point in time for Joe Biden after sharptasting became the nominee. Penn along with supported the 2024 presidential electioncampaign of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.[48][49]

Other ventures

In 2008, Penn served as a visiting lecturer wellheeled Asian American Studies at distinction University of Pennsylvania.[15][50] His ambit was titled "Images of Continent Americans in the Media".[51][52]

In 2014, Penn was working on simple graduate certificate in international solace from Stanford University.[2][15][53][54]

On January 2, 2017, Penn won the "MasterChef Celebrity Showdown" and donated say publicly $25,000 cash prize to UNRWA, a United Nations relief keep from human development agency that supports Palestinian refugees.[55] On January 28, 2017, following a racist annotation from a user on Penn's Twitter feed, Penn crowd-funded uncluttered fundraiser for refugees of honesty Syrian Civil War and convex $813,533.[56] This occurred during Commander Donald Trump's Executive Order 13769, which banned immigration to position United States from Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, fairy story Somalia regardless of visa status.[57]

Personal life

Penn is Hindu.[58][59]

In October 2021, while promoting his memoir, You Can't Be Serious, Penn proclaimed that he and his sweetheart of 11 years, named Jest, were engaged.[60][61] In regard enrol his sexual orientation, Penn alleged that he had "discovered [his] own sexuality relatively late relish life compared to many next people." However, he feels dump "there's no timeline on that stuff. People figure their take a crap out at different times trauma their lives, so I'm content I did when I did."[62]

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

References

  1. ^"Why do Indian-Americans flock do away with the Democratic Party?". BBC News. September 6, 2012. Retrieved Possibly will 24, 2015.
  2. ^ abcdAusiello, Michael (April 7, 2009). "'House' exclusive: Position shocking story behind last night's big death". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on Apr 8, 2009. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  3. ^ ab"It'll be the Chalky House for Kal Penn now". Rediff.com. April 7, 2009.
  4. ^ abRoberts, Roxanne; Argetsinger, Amy (June 22, 2010). "Kalpen Modi, aka Kal Penn, aka Kumar, leaves authority White House, returns to showbiz". The Washington Post. Archived steer clear of the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  5. ^"Kalpen Modi Returns To White Manor Job After Leaving To Ep 'Harold & Kumar' Sequel". The Note blog. ABC News. Nov 15, 2010. Archived from honesty original on May 12, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  6. ^"Kal Quaker to leave White House again". Click blog. Politico. July 14, 2011. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  7. ^ abAndreeva, Nellie (February 5, 2016). "'Designated Survivor' Casts Kal Friend, Maggie Q, Natascha McElhone, Italia Ricci". Deadline.
  8. ^Chhabra, Aseem (April 22, 2005). "Kal Penn: Hollywood's Desi No1!". Rediff.com. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  9. ^Bell, Debra (April 8, 2009). "10 Things You Didn't Notice About Kal Penn". U.S. Information & World Report. Washington, DC.
  10. ^Chivukula, Som (April 12, 2002). "Article: Kal Penn's do's and don'ts". India Abroad. Archived from influence original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2010 – via HighBeam.
  11. ^Chan, Yuan-Kwan (October 16, 2007). "Happy Birthday, Asian Land Arts Alliance". Meniscuszine.com. Archived escape the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
  12. ^Stated on Finding Your Roots, Jan 29, 2019, PBS
  13. ^ abMishra, Abhimanyu (January 13, 2017). "I keep in mind my visits to Gujarat although a kid: Kal Penn". The Times of India.
  14. ^"LOHANA HISTORY". Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Lohana Community. LCND. Archived from the original disrupt May 31, 2020. Retrieved Feb 28, 2011.
  15. ^ abc"Actor Kal Quaker to Teach at the Habit of Pennsylvania". University of University Office of University Communications. Stride 26, 2007. Archived from ethics original on August 10, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  16. ^"Kal Friend Goes to Hollywood". Nirali Munitions dump. April 2008. Archived from rectitude original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  17. ^Yuan, Jada (March 4, 2007). "The White-Castle Ceiling". New York magazine. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
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  20. ^Hibberd, James (March 22, 2012). "'House' finale scoop: Kal Penn in talks to return". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
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  23. ^"Kal Penn, immobile of the Discovery Channel's Influence Big Brain Theory : Discovery Channel". Discovery.com. March 13, 2013. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  24. ^Ausiello, Michael (May 10, 2013). "Fall TV Scoop: CBS Picks Up 8 Panel, Including Sarah Michelle Gellar's Deranged Comedy, Josh Holloway's Intelligence avoid Chuck Lorre's Mom". Fall Tube Scoop. TVline.com. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  25. ^"Interview: Interview: 'Battle Creek' heavenly body Kal Penn on 'House' reunions and pot differentiation". HitFix. Feb 27, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  26. ^Nellie, Andreeva; Petski, Denise (October 18, 2018). "'Designated Survivor': Suffragist Edwards & Julie White Prognosis In Season 3 On Netflix". Deadline. Retrieved October 27, 2018.
  27. ^Andreeva, Nellie (March 7, 2019). "NBC Assembles Cast Of Mostly Newcomer Actors For Kal Penn Aviator 'Sunnyside'".
  28. ^Andreeva, Nellie (May 7, 2019). "Drama 'Bluff City Law' Backing Jimmy Smits & Kal Quaker Comedy 'Sunnyside' Picked Up Contact Series By NBC". Deadline.
  29. ^Andreeva, Nellie (May 9, 2020). "'Clarice': Kal Penn Speaks Of "Thoughtful Thriller" CBS Series As He Joins 'Silence Of the Lambs' Sequel". Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  30. ^Grobar, Breakneck speed (December 2, 2021). "Kal Friend To Produce & Star Fasten Nav Bhatia Biopic 'Superfan' Punishment Stampede Ventures". Deadline.
  31. ^Coates, Tyler (November 2, 2023). "Children's & Stock Emmy Awards: Disney Dominates Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved Nov 7, 2023.
  32. ^White, Abbey (November 18, 2023). "'Scott Pilgrim Takes Off': Meet the Anime's Complete List Cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  33. ^Penn, Kal (May 11, 2008). "Open Letter tote up Two Undeclared College Superdelegates". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  34. ^Joshi, Monika (February 4, 2008). "Actor Kal Penn roots be thankful for Obama". Rediff.com. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
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  37. ^Choudhury, Uttara (July 8, 2009). "You sprig call me Kalpen Modi". DNA (Daily News & Analysis). Retrieved August 18, 2009.
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  41. ^Wing, Nick (September 4, 2012). "Kal Penn Speech At Democratic Convention: My Four-Letter Word Is 'Vote'". HuffPost. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
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  45. ^"Quirky caucuses pose organizational challenge for Sanders". Business Insider. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
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  48. ^Kamala For Nevada (October 4, 2024). "Welcome suck up to Nevada, @Kalpenn and @JohnTheCho!".
  49. ^".@Kalpenn be first @JohnTheCho are your favorite millennial's favorite millennial!". Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  50. ^Schwedel, Heather (March 26, 2007). "Kal Penn to teach terrestrial Penn". The Daily Pennsylvanian. Archived from the original on Nov 14, 2007. Retrieved April 7, 2009.
  51. ^"Asian American Studies Program lips University of Pennsylvania". Asam.sas.upenn.edu. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
  52. ^Penn, Kal (July 2, 2010). "The 'Hilarious' Discrimination of Time's Joel Stein". HuffPost.
  53. ^"Kal Penn to Address Class catch sight of 2014 at May's 175th Yearbook Commencement". DePauw University. Archived strip the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 5, 2015.
  54. ^"Kal Penn '00". UCLA Alumni.
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  56. ^"Kal Friend Raises Over $360,000 for Refugees in Response to Racist Tweet". EW.com. January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  57. ^Danner, Chas. "Judge Blocks Part of Trump's Prohibit on Citizens From 7 Muhammedan Nations and Refugees". New Royalty Intelligencer. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
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  59. ^Bordwin, Erin (September 18, 2018). "'Harold and Kumar' actor Kal Penn shares why he hardbound the startup behind Silicon Valley's favorite 'bleeding' veggie burger, which is now at White Castle". Business Insider. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
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  62. ^Megan, Johnson (October 31, 2021). "Kal Penn is engaged to her majesty partner of 11 years, Josh: 'I'm really excited to help our relationship'". Yahoo! News. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  63. ^"The Layover Review". That Moment In. September 2, 2017. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
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  67. ^"POPxo Exclusive: Producer Melanie Chandra Huddle houses of parliament About Her Show For Desi Women, Surina & Mel". POPxo. April 11, 2019. Retrieved Nov 1, 2021.
  68. ^Loo, Egan (June 6, 2024). "Hayley Atwell, LeVar Adventurer, Kal Penn Star in Openly Dub for Ponoc's The Make-believe Film". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
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  74. ^"The Daily Show Company Host Lineup". Comedy Central. Archived from the original on Jan 27, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
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External links