Kal Penn
Acting
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
Acting112
movieTrust Me, I'm a Doctor
2026
Dr. Sandeep Kapoor
tvCelebrity Weakest Link
2025
Self - Contestant
movieThe Underdoggs
2024
Ryan Kauffman
tvScott Pilgrim Takes Off
2023
Ventakish (voice)
tvThe Santa Clauses
2022
Simon Choksi
movieSmile
2022
Dr. Morgan Desai
movieHot Mess Holiday
2021
Kal Penn
tvClarice
2021
Shaan Tripathi
tvCelebrity Wheel of Fortune
2021
Self - Contestant
tvName That Tune
2021
Self - Contestant
tvIndustry
2020
Jay 'Jonah' Atterbury
tvKal Penn Approves This Message
2020
Self - Host
tvWho Wants to Be a Millionaire
2020
Self - Contestant
tvMira, Royal Detective
2020
Mikku (voice)
tvSunnyside
2019
Garrett Modi
tvTamron Hall
2019
Self - Guest
tvThe Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
Self / Self - Guest Host
tvFancy Nancy
2018
Mr. Singh (voice)
movieThe Ashram
2018
Nitin
tvSuperhuman
2017
Self - Host
tvDesignated Survivor
2016
Seth Wright
tvMatch Game
2016
Self - Panelist
tvTo Tell the Truth
2016
Self - Panelist
movieThe Girl in the Photographs
2015
Peter Hemmings
movieEmily & Tim
2015
Tim (Segment 2)
movieThe Sisterhood of Night
2015
Gordy Gambhir
tvThe Big Picture with Kal Penn
2015
Himself - Host
tvThe Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
Self - Guest
tvBattle Creek
2015
Detective Fontanelle
movieA Prayer for Rain
2014
Motwani
tvDeadbeat
2014
Clyde
tvWe Are Men
2013
Gil Bartis
tvThe Big Brain Theory
2013
Self - Host
movieA Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
2011
Kumar Patel
movieHarold & Kumars Yuletide Jamz
2011
Kumar Patel
tvAmerican Horror Story
2011
Mac Marzara
tvNew Girl
2011
Tripp
tvWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
Self - Guest
tvThe Big Bang Theory
2007
Kevin Campbell
movieEpic Movie
2007
Edward
movieVan Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj
2006
Taj Mahal Badalandabad
movieDeck the Halls
2006
Amit Sayid (uncredited)
movieThe Namesake
2006
Gogol / Nikhil
movieSuperman Returns
2006
Stanford
movieMan About Town
2006
Alan Fineberg
movieAwesometown
2006
Guy Reading Newspaper
tvHow I Met Your Mother
2005
Kevin Venkataraghavan
movieA Lot Like Love
2005
Jeeter
tvHouse
2004
Lawrence Kutner
movieHarold & Kumar Go to White Castle
2004
Kumar Patel
tvThe Soup
2004
Self
movieHomeland Security
2004
Harrison
movieLove Don't Co$t a Thing
2003
Kenneth Warman
tvTru Calling
2003
Steven
tvAll About the Andersons
2003
Doctor George
tvJimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
Self - Guest
Cosmopolitan
2003
Vandana's Fiancee
movieNational Lampoon's Van Wilder
2002
Taj Mahal Badalandabad
tv24
2001
Ahmed Amar
tvThe Agency
2001
Malek
movieAmerican Desi
2001
Ajay Pandya
tvAngel
1999
Young Man in Fez
tvLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
Henry Chanoor
tvIndependent Lens
1999
Jagdesh / Vandana's Fiancee
tvSpongeBob SquarePants
1999
Himself
movieExpress: Aisle to Glory
1998
Jackie Newton
tvThe View
1997
Self - Guest
tvSpin City
1996
Buddy
tvThe Daily Show
1996
Self - Guest Host
tvER
1994
Narajan
tvLIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
Self - Guest
Brookfield
Kumar Zimmerman
Contra
Dale Stone
Production3
movieTrust Me, I'm a Doctor
2026
Executive Producer
movieVan Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj
2006
Executive Producer
Patel
Executive Producer
Creator1
tvSunnyside
2019
Creator