Kal Penn Recalls Having to Audition Against a ‘White Dude in Brown Face’ for ‘Van Wilder’ Role
Kal Penn Recalls Having to Audition Against a ‘White Dude in Brown Face’ for ‘Van Wilder’ Role https://t.co/BdG7z9ecvn
- IndieWire (@IndieWire) July 30, 2024
Ryan Reynolds also helped Penn land the “Van Wilder” role to begin with during the final callbacks.
The college comedy stars Penn in a supporting role of an Indian exchange student.
“Ryan was incredibly supportive during the audition process for ‘Van Wilder,' In the final callback, it was between me and a white dude in brown face for the part of an Indian exchange student. He said to me, ‘How do you feel about improv?’ So we improvised the scene, and he was obviously rooting for me to get the job. The entire production was awesome. He told me once in passing, ‘When you get your first lead, let me know and I’ll play the supporting guy.’ When ‘Harold & Kumar’ happened and we were talking about cameos, I reached out to Ryan and he was immediately like, ‘Yes, absolutely.'”
'Harold & Kumar' required at least four high-profile cameos.
Ryan Reynolds appears in a hospital scene.
Producer Nathan Kahane was even shocked that Reynolds agreed to appear in the indie comedy.
“I remember calling Ryan’s agent and was like, ‘Is this happening?’ He told me Ryan was totally supportive because Ryan loves Kal. We paid him $10,000, and he was a beautiful man of his word. Ryan joining that cast got the movie greenlit.”
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