Kal Penn Comes Out, Reveals Engagement to Boyfriend of 11 Years

Actor Kal Penn came out over the weekend while promoting his new book You Can't Be Serious, revealing his engagement to his partner Josh. Penn, 44, is known for his roles on House, Designated Survivor, and the Harold and Kumar film franchise. He told People that he and Josh had been together for 11 years.

“I've always been very public with everybody I've personally interacted with. Whether it's somebody that I meet at a bar, if Josh and I are out or we're talking to friends,” Penn told the magazine. “I'm really excited to share our relationship with readers.”

Penn met his fiancé while working for the Obama administration where he spent two years in the Office of Public Engagement, connecting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities and the arts community. Penn recalled his first date with Josh, thinking the two weren’t going to be a match since Josh brought an 18-pack of Coors Light to Penn’s apartment and started watching NASCAR.

“I thought, 'This obviously is not going to work out,” Penn said. “I have one day off from The White House and this dude is unironically watching cars go around and make left turns? Next thing you know, it's been a couple months and we're watching NASCAR every Sunday. I'm like, 'What is happening?'”

The actor told People that he has always had the support of his family when it came to Josh.

https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2021/10/31/kal-penn-comes-out-reveals-engagement-boyfriend-11-years