From channeling his inner stoner in "Harold and Kumar" to portraying a doctor on "House," Kal Penn has displayed an ability to play a wide array of different personalities throughout his career.
His latest role, however, will take him far away from the glitz and glamor of the silver screen - all the way to the White House.
After dedicating a great deal of time to President Barack Obama's election campaign, Penn was offered and has now accepted the position of associate director of the White House Office of Public Liaison.
As a result, Penn will be putting his acting career on hold, focusing all of his attention on forging a bond between the Obama administration and the Asian-American community.
While Penn's parts have portrayed him as everything from a terrorist to an underachieving slacker, there is no questioning his stellar academic background.
After double majoring at the University of California, Los Angeles in film and sociology, Penn balanced his acting career by earning an international security graduate certificate from Stanford University.
And lest we forget mentioning his time spent as a lecturer, teaching a media class at the University of Pennsylvania.
Penn's choice to put aside the fame and fortune of Hollywood to work for the Obama administration shows a mature young man following his true calling in life.
If Penn can bring to his new position the same effort and passion exhibited by him in "The Namesake," there is no doubt he will enjoy great success during his tenure in Washington.
If not, there's always "Harold and Kumar 3."
