Kal Penn Not Pulling "a Joaquin Phoenix" With Career Jump

Us Magazine - April 8, 2009 6:14 PM PDT
Story photo: Kal Penn Not Pulling Kal Penn arrives at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Jan. 25, 2009 in L.A.Us Magazine
Kal Penn -- who just landed a job at the White House -- says his acting days aren't over.

"I'm not retiring from acting," he said Wednesday in an interview with L.A.'s KOST 103.5 FM. "I'm obviously putting it on hold while I am working in the White House."

Added Penn, 31: "It's not a Joaquin Phoenix -style, walking-away-and-never coming-back [move]."

Penn -- whose new job title will be Associate Director in the Office of Public Liaison -- said the idea of working in politics occurred to him when he campaigned for Obama in Iowa during the writers' strike last year.

See other celebs who campaigned for Obama

When the strike ended, he returned to House and "started thinking I have this passion for something in public service," he said. "If Obama wins," he remembers thinking, "I'd like to continue working in public service."

See Barack Obama's baby photo

So he told House creator David Shore.

"David said, 'So you're telling me you want to leave the show?'" Penn recalled. "And I said, 'Well, I'm thinking about it.'"

See the most embarrassing moments from the 2008 campaign

When Shore informed him his character, Dr. Lawrence Kutner, would commit suicide, Penn was stunned.

"That really hit all of us," he said. "There wasn't anything in Kutner's background that made us think it was going to happen."

But Penn said his character's shocking death will help House ( Hugh Laurie ) grow as a character: "House always has the answer to everything. This is the one thing that House is not going to have the answer to."

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comments 1-10 of 23  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Sarah
    I think your wrong Kal Penn will be a good administrater. Yea, he was good on House but I think he will do a better job at Obama's side.
    report abuseposted August 27, 2009 7:21 PM PDT
  • hduhfaosdf
    i miss Kutner, he was a funny doctor(: good luck kal
    report abuseposted August 15, 2009 12:59 AM PDT
  • bsw
    Ok good luck!
    report abuseposted April 9, 2009 5:40 AM PDT
  • LaLaLu
    You're a m*r*n krissy :-) The administration doesn't need publicity. Obama is the most popular president in over twenty years. Far more popular than that Clinton hick was. Just crawl back into your hole and hope someone lets you know when you can re-surface in 8 years.
    report abuseposted April 9, 2009 4:02 AM PDT
  • Rev. Dr. Al Poe
    Penn will be out of a job in 3 1/2 years because Obama is a one-term president like the equally incompetent Jimmy Carter.
    report abuseposted April 9, 2009 1:58 AM PDT
  • JOE S
    PLEASE ANOTHER ONE OF UNCLE TOMS SAPS
    report abuseposted April 8, 2009 10:21 PM PDT
  • sam n
    Kal Penn isnt an idiot. He has a degree in Social Sciences from UCLA. How many stupid "Harold and KumaR" type movies can he do? He has done the same role of stupid stereotypical Indian-nerd films, like all the "American Pie" and old Jim Carrey films, he will be typecast as a South Asian geek. Not to be racist, but its harder for south asians to get roles since t
    report abuseposted April 8, 2009 8:54 PM PDT
  • Nikki
    OMG, I've been edited!! The last two words of my comment should have read "...Thru Television!" . LOL
    report abuseposted April 8, 2009 8:19 PM PDT
  • AusTex
    Sad to see him go. He was my fav. character on the show outside of House. PATHETIC that the white house resorted to hiring an actor for a liason position.
    report abuseposted April 8, 2009 8:19 PM PDT
  • Nikki
    I thought the whole suicide thing was actually a good twist on his character, kinda wakes people up to the reality of life/death. This is coming from a person who has known and lost a couple friends who did the deed for no apparent reason. Brings out the whole "afraid to show your weaknesses in fear of the blind ridicule of the shallowness of this phony society we've created thr
    report abuseposted April 8, 2009 8:00 PM PDT
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