Whatever Happened To Kal Penn?

Whatever happened to Kal Penn? By now, it should be obvious that there’s a whole slew of complicated answers to that question. Since breaking out in teen comedies like «Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle,» Penn has built a career in Hollywood and in Washington, D.C. He’s worked as an author and a White House staffer. There are a number of ways to describe what happened to him, but one of the simplest is nothing at all.

Penn may have found time to pursue alternative careers, but he did that without ever giving up acting. Back when Penn still had his White House job, he briefly left on two occasions. First, he went to film «A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas,» and later, he left to work on «How I Met Your Mother.»

Since leaving the White House for good, Penn has starred in dozens of episodes of «Designated Survivor,» but that’s far from his only recent TV credit. He’s also picked up roles on shows like «The Big Bang Theory,» «American Horror Story,» and «The Santa Clauses.» He’s even found time for a smattering of movies, most recently the 2022 horror flick «Smile.» Whatever else has happened to Penn in the past, he’s always remained a busy actor.