Kal Penn

Acting

Kal Penn

Born 1977-04-23 · Montclair, New Jersey, USA

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

Acting credits

Smile poster
6.7

After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain.

Smile

2022

Superman Returns poster
5.8

Superman returns to discover his 5-year absence has allowed Lex Luthor to walk free, and that those he was closest to felt abandoned and have moved on. Luthor plots his ultimate revenge that could see millions killed and change the face of the planet forever, as well as ridding himself of the Man of Steel.

Superman Returns

2006

Epic Movie poster
3.9

When the Pevensie siblings each follow their own path, they find themselves at Willy's Chocolate Factory. Walking through a wardrobe, they discover the world of Gnarnia, ruled by the White Bitch. Meeting up with characters such as Harry Potter and Captain Jack Swallows, the newly reunited family must team up with Aslo, a wise-but-horny lion to stop the White Bitch's army.

Epic Movie

2007

Son of the Mask poster
4.2

Tim Avery, an aspiring cartoonist, finds himself in a predicament when his dog stumbles upon the mask of Loki. Then after conceiving an infant son "born of the mask", he discovers just how looney child raising can be.

Son of the Mask

2005

Love Don't Co$t a Thing poster
7.7

A high school outcast pays a cheerleader to pose as his girlfriend so he can be considered cool.

Love Don't Co$t a Thing

2003

Once Upon a Time in Venice poster
5.2

Steve Ford is a private detective in Venice Beach, Calif., who's good with the ladies, bad with the punches and wild about his dog Buddy. When local thugs steal Buddy, Ford turns to Spyder, their devious leader, and forges an unlikely alliance. With help from his best friend, Steve pulls out the big guns to retrieve Spyder's stolen cash and cocaine and save Buddy.

Once Upon a Time in Venice

2017

National Lampoon's Van Wilder poster
6.0

Van Wilder has been attending college for far too many years and is scared to graduate, but Van’s father eventually realizes what is going on. When he stops paying his son's tuition fees, Van must come up with the money if he wants to stay in college, so he and his friends come up with a great fund-raising idea – throwing parties. However, when the college magazine finds out and reporter Gwen is sent to do a story on Van Wilder, things get a little complicated.

National Lampoon's Van Wilder

2002

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay poster
6.3

Having satisfied their urge for White Castle, Harold and Kumar jump on a plane to catch up with Harold's love interest, who's headed for the Netherlands. But the pair must change their plans when Kumar is accused of being a terrorist. Rob Corddry also stars in this wild comedy sequel that follows the hapless stoners' misadventures as they try to avoid being captured by the Department of Homeland Security.

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

2008

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas poster
6.0

Six years have elapsed since Guantanamo Bay, leaving Harold and Kumar estranged from one another with very different families, friends and lives. But when Kumar arrives on Harold's doorstep during the holiday season with a mysterious package in hand, he inadvertently burns down Harold's father-in-law's beloved Christmas tree. To fix the problem, Harold and Kumar embark on a mission through New York City to find the perfect Christmas tree, once again stumbling into trouble at every single turn.

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas

2011

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle poster
6.6

Nerdy accountant Harold and his irrepressible friend, Kumar, get stoned watching television and find themselves utterly bewitched by a commercial for White Castle. Convinced there must be one nearby, the two set out on a late-night odyssey that takes them deep into New Jersey. Somehow, the boys manage to run afoul of rednecks, cops and even a car-stealing Neil Patrick Harris before getting anywhere near their beloved sliders.

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

2004

Deck the Halls poster
5.6

Determined to unseat Steve Finch's reign as the town's holiday season king, Buddy Hall plasters his house with so many decorative lights that it'll be visible from space! When their wives bond, and their kids follow suit, the two men only escalate their rivalry - and their decorating.

Deck the Halls

2006

The Layover poster
5.4

When their plane is rerouted due to a hurricane warning, two single female best friends find themselves competing for the same guy during an extended layover in St. Louis.

The Layover

2017

Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj poster
5.1

Taj Mahal Badalandabad leaves Coolidge College behind for the halls of Camford University in England, where he looks to continue his education, and teach an uptight student how to make the most out of her academic career.

Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj

2006

Emily & Tim poster
5.6

The movie is comprised of six vignettes. A look at the tumultuous marriage of Tim and Emily Hanratty over half a century.

Emily & Tim

2015

Malibu's Most Wanted poster
5.4

A senator arranges for his son, a rich white kid who fancies himself black, to be kidnapped by a couple of black actors pretending to be murderers to try and shock him out of his plans to become a rapper.

Malibu's Most Wanted

2003

Trust Me, I'm a Doctor poster
NR

The life of Dr. Sandeep Kapoor was turned upside down when he's implicated in the wrongful death trial of one-time Playboy centerfold Anna Nicole Smith.

Trust Me, I'm a Doctor

2026

The Underdoggs poster
7.0

Jaycen 'Two Js' Jennings is a washed-up former pro football star who has hit rock bottom. When sentenced to community service coaching the Underdoggs, an unruly pee-wee football team in his hometown, he sees it mostly as an opportunity to rebuild his public image. But in the process, he may just turn his life around and rediscover his love of the game.

The Underdoggs

2024

A Lot Like Love poster
6.8

On a flight from Los Angeles to New York, Oliver and Emily make a connection, only to decide that they are poorly suited to be together. Over the next seven years, however, they are reunited time and time again, they go from being acquaintances to close friends to... lovers?

A Lot Like Love

2005

Man About Town poster
5.2

A top Hollywood talent agent finds his cushy existence threatened when he discovers that his wife is cheating on him and that his journal has been swiped by a reporter out to bring him down.

Man About Town

2006

The Girl in the Photographs poster
4.9

Small-town store clerk Colleen is eager to escape her tedious existence and annoying boyfriend. Then gruesome photos of murdered women start appearing.

The Girl in the Photographs

2015

The Namesake poster
6.8

The American-born son of Indian immigrants strives to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways.

The Namesake

2006

The Problem with Apu poster
4.8

In the history of “The Simpsons,” few characters outside the title family have had as much cultural impact as Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, the Springfield convenience store owner. Comedian Hari Kondabolu is out to show why that might be a problem.

The Problem with Apu

2017

Bachelor Party Vegas poster
4.9

A planned evening of debauchery in Las Vegas to celebrate their best friend's wedding goes horribly -- but hilariously -- wrong for five average guys.

Bachelor Party Vegas

2006

Sueno poster
4.5

A Mexican immigrant new to Los Angeles enters into a love triangle with two very different women.

Sueno

2005