One of the elements of The Big Bang Theory that made it so memorable is the profile of guest stars that were often enrolled to feature in the show.Some like Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Star Trek legend William Shatner made very brief cameos, appearing only in single episodes. Others enjoyed longer stints in the sitcom, featuring either as fictional characters or their real-life selves over the course of a number of episodes.Bob Newhart is probably the most prominent among these. He played the role of Professor Proton, a former television science show host who becomes a mentor and friend to Jim Parsons’ Sheldon Cooper. He received critical acclaim for his performance, and even won a Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013.”Kate Micucci, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Wil Wheaton, Leonard Nimoy and Bill Nye The Science Guy are other stellar names who appeared in guest roles on The Big Bang Theory.Another actor who guest starred in TBBT was Designated Survivor star Kal Penn. The New Jersey-born artist ended up having a very special connection with Kunal Nayyar, who played Rajesh Koothrappali in the series.
What Character Did Kal Penn Play In The Big Bang Theory?
Before his time on The Big Bang Theory, Kal Penn was known for roles in House, Designated Survivor, as well as the Harold & Kumar film series.
He featured in three episodes of Big Bang as a character called Dr. Campbell. He first appeared in the seventh season of the show, in the episode The Engagement Reaction, where he is introduced as a potential love interest for Melissa Rauch’s Bernadette.
The character is a successful dermatologist who meets Bernadette while attending a dermatology conference. In the following episode, The Hofstadter Insufficiency, Dr. Campbell and Bernadette go on their first date, but things do not go well when Howard becomes jealous and interrupts their dinner.
In the next episode, The Locke Excitation, Dr. Campbell and Howard compete for a grant, leading to tension between the two characters.
Penn’s portrayal of Dr. Campbell was well-received by fans of the show and added a new dynamic to the series.
His character was confident and successful, but also had a tendency to be arrogant and overbearing. His ego often clashed with the main characters, particularly Simon Helberg's Howard Wolowitz.
Kal Penn And Kunal Nayyar Have A Shared Heritage Of Indian Descent
Kunal Nayyar was one of the actors who played leading roles on The Big Bang Theory from the beginning to the very end of the show.
His character, Raj, was known for his extreme social anxiety, which often made him unable to speak to women without alcohol. This led to a number of humorous and awkward situations throughout the series.
Nayyar was born and raised in London, England, the son of Indian immigrants. He has often spoken about his Indian heritage in a number of interviews and public appearances. Kal Penn shares something of a similar history, as he was born in Montclair, New Jersey to Indian Gujarati immigrant parents.
It was this shared heritage that helped to create a bond between Nayyar and Penn when they worked together on The Big Bang Theory.
What Did Kunal Nayyar Say About Kal Penn’s Time As A Guest Star On The Big Bang Theory?
Although there had been many actors of Indian descent in Hollywood before him, Kal Penn definitely contributed to the growing representation of South Asian actors in the film and television industry.
Kunal Nayyar was definitely one such aspiring performer who was looking up to his compatriot as he paved the way with his work. “I remember being an Indian actor in grad school while watching Kal,” Nayyar said about Penn after they eventually got to work together, as was reported by USA Today.
“He was making Harold and Kumar and [also] did The Namesake. He was the only [actor of Indian descent] at the time who was doing it in a big way and he gave me a lot of hope. Now, to call him a friend and to work with him is a dream,” Nayyar added.
Penn has also made his mark way beyond Hollywood, often taking breaks from acting at various points in his career in order to pursue other interests and opportunities. For example, he took a hiatus from acting in 2009 to serve as the associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement under President Barack Obama.
The actor is currently starring in the Disney Plus Christmas comedy series, The Santa Clauses.
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