Kal Penn comes out as gay and reveals he is engaged to partner of 11 years

1 November 2021, 12:26 | Updated: 1 November 2021, 17:11

Kal Penn in 2020 — Kal Penn has confirmed his sexuality in his autobiography. Picture: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty

By Jenny Mensah

The Harold & Kumar star has detailed his relationship with now-fiance Josh in his memoir entitled, You Can't Be Serious.

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Kal Penn has come out as gay and revealed he is engaged to his partner of 11 years.

The Harold & Kumar and How I Met Your Mother star has detailed his secret relationship with his now-fiance in his new autobiography.

Speaking to People about the memoir, which is titled You Can't Be Serious, the Big Bang Theory star said: "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.

"I’m really excited to share our relationship with readers. But Josh, my partner, my parents, and my brother, four people who I’m closest to in the family, are fairly quiet.

"They don’t love attention and shy away from the limelight."

Penn's blossoming romance with his partner, who is just named Josh in the book, and admitted he didn't see them going the distance after their first date, which saw Josh come over with an 18-pack of Coors Light to watch NASCAR on TV.

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The 44-year-old actor has revealed how he was on a break from acting and was working in the Barack Obama administration at the White House when he met his future husband.

Though Penn is only coming out to the world now, the actor has revealed already told his Indian parents and close friends and insisted it was "super easy" telling his loved ones, having already dropped the acting career bombshell on them.

He said: “I shared things with my parents and close friends first.

"I know this sounds jokey, but it’s true: When you’ve already told your Indian parents and the South Asian community that you intend to be an actor for a living, really any conversations that come after that are super easy.

"They’re just like, ‘Yeah, okay.’ I felt very supported by everyone. That’s a wonderful thing. I know everybody has different experiences with that and so I definitely feel very fortunate."

He continued: “I discovered my own sexuality relatively late in life compared to many other people. There’s no timeline on this stuff.

"People figure their s*** out at different times in their lives, so I’m glad I did when I did."

The book details the pair's blossoming romance, but Kal admitted he didn't see them going the distance after their first date, which saw Josh come over with an 18-pack of Coors Light to watch NASCAR on TV.