Kal Penn
Acting
108
Acting Credits
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...
Known For
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Henry Chanoor
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self - Guest Host
The Daily Show
Self - Guest Host
Filmography
Trust Me, I'm a Doctor
2026
as Dr. Sandeep Kapoor
Celebrity Weakest Link
2025
as Self - Contestant
The Underdoggs
2024
as Ryan Kauffman
Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong
2023
as Self
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
2023
as Ventakish (voice)
Smile
2022
as Dr. Morgan Desai
The Santa Clauses
2022
as Simon Choksi
Hot Mess Holiday
2021
as Kal Penn
Untitled Horror Movie
2021
as Mark
Clarice: Behind the Scenes with Stars and Producers
2021
as Self
Clarice
2021
as Shaan Tripathi
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune
2021
as Self - Contestant
Name That Tune
2021
as Self - Contestant
The Girl in the Woods
2020
Mira, Royal Detective
2020
as Mikku (voice)
Kal Penn Approves This Message
2020
as Self - Host
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
2020
as Self - Contestant
Industry
2020
as Jay 'Jonah' Atterbury
Tamron Hall
2019
as Self - Guest
Sunnyside
2019
as Garrett Modi
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self
A Little Late with Lilly Singh
2019
as Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show
2019
as Self - Guest Host
The Ashram
2018
as Nitin
Fancy Nancy
2018
as Mr. Singh (voice)
The Layover
2017
as Anuj
Once Upon a Time in Venice
2017
as Rajeesh
Speech & Debate
2017
as James
The Problem with Apu
2017
as Self
Superhuman
2017
as Self - Host
Better Off Single
2016
as Brice
Designated Survivor
2016
as Seth Wright
Match Game
2016
as Self - Panelist
To Tell the Truth
2016
as Self - Panelist
The $100,000 Pyramid
2016
as Self
The Sisterhood of Night
2015
as Gordy Gambhir
Emily & Tim
2015
as Tim (Segment 2)
The Girl in the Photographs
2015
as Peter Hemmings
Battle Creek
2015
as Detective Fontanelle
The Big Picture with Kal Penn
2015
as Himself - Host
The Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
as Self - Guest
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015
A Prayer for Rain
2014
as Motwani
Deadbeat
2014
as Clyde
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014
as Self
Dementamania
2013
The Big Brain Theory
2013
as Self - Host
We Are Men
2013
as Gil Bartis
Hollywood Game Night
2013
as Self
Finding Your Roots
2012
as Self
A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
2011
as Kumar Patel
Harold & Kumars Yuletide Jamz
2011
as Kumar Patel
Impractical Jokers
2011
as Self
New Girl
2011
as Tripp
American Horror Story
2011
as Mac Marzara
Top Gear
2010
We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial
2009
as Self
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009
as Self - Guest
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
2008
as Kumar Patel
Harold & Kumar Go to Amsterdam
2008
as Kumar
Epic Movie
2007
as Edward
The Big Bang Theory
2007
as Kevin Campbell
Superman Returns
2006
as Stanford
Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj
2006
as Taj Mahal Badalandabad
Man About Town
2006
as Alan Fineberg
Bachelor Party Vegas
2006
as Z-Bob
Deck the Halls
2006
as Amit Sayid (uncredited)
The Namesake
2006
as Gogol / Nikhil
Awesometown
2006
as Guy Reading Newspaper
A Lot Like Love
2005
as Jeeter
Son of the Mask
2005
as Jorge
Sueno
2005
as Raj
Dancing in Twilight
2005
as Sam
How I Met Your Mother
2005
as Kevin Venkataraghavan
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2005
as Self
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
2004
as Kumar Patel
Ball and Chain
2004
as Bobby
Homeland Security
2004
as Harrison
House
2004
as Lawrence Kutner
The Soup
2004
as Self
Love Don't Co$t a Thing
2003
as Kenneth Warman
Where's the Party Yaar?
2003
as Mo
Malibu's Most Wanted
2003
as Hadji
Regarding Ardy
2003
as Fred
Cosmopolitan
2003
as Vandana's Fiancee
Tru Calling
2003
as Steven
All About the Andersons
2003
as Doctor George
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003
as Self - Guest
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
2002
as Taj Mahal Badalandabad
American Desi
2001
as Ajay Pandya
24
2001
as Ahmed Amar
The Agency
2001
as Malek
Freshmen
1999
as Ajay
Angel
1999
as Young Man in Fez
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
as Henry Chanoor
Independent Lens
1999
as Jagdesh
Independent Lens
1999
as Vandana's Fiancee
Express: Aisle to Glory
1998
as Jackie Newton
The View
1997
as Self - Guest
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1997
as Hunt
Spin City
1996
as Buddy
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch
1996
as Prajeeb
The Daily Show
1996
as Self - Guest Host
ER
1994
as Narajan
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
CBS News Sunday Morning
1979
as Self
Sesame Street
1969