
Kal Penn
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
Known For

TV
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Henry Chanoor
1999

TV
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009

TV
The Daily Show
Self - Guest Host
1996

TV
House
Lawrence Kutner
2004

TV
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
2014

TV
Sesame Street
1969

TV
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015

TV
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self
2005

TV
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
2019

TV
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self - Guest Host
2019

TV
24
Ahmed Amar
2001

TV
Designated Survivor
Seth Wright
2016

TV
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest
2015

TV
The View
Self - Guest
1997

TV
How I Met Your Mother
Kevin Venkataraghavan
2005

TV
American Horror Story
Mac Marzara
2011

TV
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003

TV
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest
1988

TV
ER
Narajan
1994

TV
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Hunt
1997
Filmography
2025TVCelebrity Weakest Linkas Self - Contestant2024FilmThe Underdoggsas Ryan Kauffman2023TVScott Pilgrim Takes Offas Ventakish (voice)2023FilmSchoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalongas Self2022TVThe Santa Clausesas Simon Choksi2022FilmSmileas Dr. Morgan Desai2021FilmHot Mess Holidayas Kal Penn2021FilmUntitled Horror Movieas Mark2021TVClariceas Shaan Tripathi2021FilmClarice: Behind the Scenes with Stars and Producersas Self2021TVCelebrity Wheel of Fortuneas Self - Contestant2021TVName That Tuneas Self - Contestant2020TVIndustryas Jay 'Jonah' Atterbury2020TVKal Penn Approves This Messageas Self - Host2020FilmThe Girl in the Woods2020TVWho Wants to Be a Millionaireas Self - Contestant2020TVMira, Royal Detectiveas Mikku (voice)2019TVSunnysideas Garrett Modi2019TVA Little Late with Lilly Singhas Self2019TVTamron Hallas Self - Guest2019TVThe Kelly Clarkson Showas Self2018TVFancy Nancyas Mr. Singh (voice)2018FilmThe Ashramas Nitin2017FilmThe Problem with Apuas Self2017FilmThe Layoveras Anuj2017TVSuperhumanas Self - Host2017FilmOnce Upon a Time in Veniceas Rajeesh2017FilmSpeech & Debateas James2016FilmBetter Off Singleas Brice2016TVDesignated Survivoras Seth Wright2016TVThe $100,000 Pyramidas Self2016TVMatch Gameas Self - Panelist2016TVTo Tell the Truthas Self - Panelist2015FilmThe Girl in the Photographsas Peter Hemmings2015TVThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015FilmEmily & Timas Tim (Segment 2)2015FilmThe Sisterhood of Nightas Gordy Gambhir2015TVThe Big Picture with Kal Pennas Himself - Host2015TVThe Late Late Show with James Cordenas Self - Guest2015TVBattle Creekas Detective Fontanelle2014FilmA Prayer for Rainas Motwani2014TVDeadbeatas Clyde2014TVLate Night with Seth Meyersas Self2013TVWe Are Menas Gil Bartis2013FilmDementamania2013TVHollywood Game Nightas Self2013TVThe Big Brain Theoryas Self - Host2012TVFinding Your Rootsas Self2011TVImpractical Jokersas Self2011FilmA Very Harold & Kumar Christmasas Kumar Patel2011FilmHarold & Kumars Yuletide Jamzas Kumar Patel2011TVAmerican Horror Storyas Mac Marzara2011TVNew Girlas Tripp2010TVTop Gear2009TVWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohenas Self - Guest2009FilmWe Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorialas Self2008FilmHarold & Kumar Go to Amsterdamas Kumar2008FilmHarold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bayas Kumar Patel2007TVThe Big Bang Theoryas Kevin Campbell2007FilmEpic Movieas Edward2006FilmVan Wilder 2: The Rise of Tajas Taj Mahal Badalandabad2006FilmDeck the Hallsas Amit Sayid (uncredited)2006FilmThe Namesakeas Gogol / Nikhil2006FilmSuperman Returnsas Stanford2006FilmMan About Townas Alan Fineberg2006FilmBachelor Party Vegasas Z-Bob2006FilmAwesometownas Guy Reading Newspaper2005FilmSuenoas Raj2005TVHow I Met Your Motheras Kevin Venkataraghavan2005FilmA Lot Like Loveas Jeeter2005FilmSon of the Maskas Jorge2005TVThe Late Late Show with Craig Fergusonas Self2005FilmDancing in Twilightas Sam2004TVHouseas Lawrence Kutner2004FilmHarold & Kumar Go to White Castleas Kumar Patel2004TVThe Soupas Self2004FilmBall and Chainas Bobby2004FilmHomeland Securityas Harrison2003FilmLove Don't Co$t a Thingas Kenneth Warman2003TVTru Callingas Steven2003TVAll About the Andersonsas Doctor George2003FilmWhere's the Party Yaar?as Mo2003FilmMalibu's Most Wantedas Hadji2003FilmRegarding Ardyas Fred2003TVJimmy Kimmel Live!as Self - Guest2003FilmCosmopolitanas Vandana's Fiancee2002FilmNational Lampoon's Van Wilderas Taj Mahal Badalandabad2001TV24as Ahmed Amar2001TVThe Agencyas Malek2001FilmAmerican Desias Ajay Pandya1999TVAngelas Young Man in Fez1999TVLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitas Henry Chanoor1999FilmFreshmenas Ajay1999TVIndependent Lensas Jagdesh1998FilmExpress: Aisle to Gloryas Jackie Newton1997TVThe Viewas Self - Guest1997TVBuffy the Vampire Slayeras Hunt1996TVSabrina, the Teenage Witchas Prajeeb1996TVSpin Cityas Buddy1996TVThe Daily Showas Self - Guest Host1994TVERas Narajan1992TVThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno1988TVLIVE with Kelly and Markas Self - Guest1979TVCBS News Sunday Morningas Self1969TVSesame Street—FilmTrust Me, I'm a Doctoras Dr. Sandeep Kapoor—FilmBrookfieldas Kumar Zimmerman—FilmPatel—FilmWhat the F*ck Is My Password?!—FilmContraas Dale Stone—FilmUntitled Harold & Kumar Sequelas Kumar Patel