Silke Jasso
Actor Kalpen Suresh Modi, who goes by Kal Penn, has had a number of prominent roles: as Lawrence Kutner on “House,” Kumar in the “Harold and Kumar” series, as Nikhil “Gogol” Ganguli in “The Namesake,” as a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania’s Cinema Studies Program, and a position in the Obama White House as the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
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Right now, he’s a star on ABC’s “Designated Survivor,” where he plays White House Press Secretary Seth Wright. He also uses his experience from his time in the White House to act as a consultant to the show.
RELATED: After an internet troll said he didn’t “belong in this country,” actor Kal Penn got the best revenge
Of course, Penn didn’t always have the name recognition and fame he enjoys today, and he’s been posting some of his (least favorite) old scripts and casting calls from the beginning of his acting career for shows you probably recognize.
He uses the old scripts to demonstrate how racist and insensitive remarks are still common in Hollywood. Penn was born in New Jersey to parents who immigrated from India. He’s as American as the rest of us, but there are times when his character wasn’t even given a name, or was written as a walking Indian stereotype.
Found a bunch of old scripts from some of my first years trying to be an actor. pic.twitter.com/GydOwlUKGW
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
This was a pilot called The Stones. Tried to convince them to let me speak without an accent & make it funny on the merits (was told no) 😂 pic.twitter.com/SuUVYT7rip
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
Womp womp pic.twitter.com/fyonwmreBa
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
Ha! In this audition for Smart Guy, they didn't even give the character a name! pic.twitter.com/z2D8E5rx8J
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
Oh wait yes they did pic.twitter.com/xwB3qIoXoF
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
Friggin King of Queens man! I used to love that show until I got to audition for it lol pic.twitter.com/2BYu0nnd57
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
I do not remember this audition except that it was for some shitty MTV show and the big joke was an accent and too much cologne 🙄😂 pic.twitter.com/7HZbhQCkaB
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
Whoa I remember this! This was one of my first commercials. The makeup people would use Vaseline to get the sweaty unwashed look going pic.twitter.com/X7z4EI4drQ
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
This was for some project called The Marriage Clause I guess. pic.twitter.com/0yKjepAHqy
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
Sabrina the Teenage Witch! Man. We got INTO it about why he had to have an accent. I'm laughing about it now but they were such dicks 😂 pic.twitter.com/kXdHjVsqvT
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
He concluded by offering that shows that weren’t as explicitly cast along race and gender lines often do as well or better, offering “House” as an example.
Also when you cast things like @shorez, largely color & gender blind, it's more interesting & ratings can look like this. Which is awesome! pic.twitter.com/qr1f7vWASK
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
Anyway getting off my soapbox & going to work. New Designated Survivor this week! Thanks for the love over the years 👍🏽😍😜
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) March 14, 2017
