Kal Penn

Birthplace: Montclair, New Jersey
Birthday: April 23, 1977

Breaking into Hollywood as a leading actor has always been difficult, but for Asians it has been next to impossible. Though there has been plenty of opportunity for Indian actors to play cab drivers, 7-11 clerks or medical students with incoherent accents, the standard leading man has been—for the most part—out of reach. Kal Penn has experienced firsthand the latent racism that still pervades the Hollywood system, though he did manage to break through with a leading role in the raucously funny teen comedy, “Harold and Kumar Go to White Ca…more

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Credits

Actor

American Made
Jagdesh Singh
All About the Andersons
Doctor George
Homeland Security
Harrison
Tru Calling
Steven
Angel
Young Man in Fez

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Career Milestones

2008
Reprised role of Kumar for "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay"
2007
Co-starred in the spoof/parody film "Epic Movie"
2007
Joined the cast of the FOX medical drama "House" as one of Dr. House's new fellowship applicants
2007
Played an American-born son of Indian immigrants in director Mira Nair's "The Namesake"
2006
Appeared in four episodes of Fox's "24" as a teenage terrorist