THE CULT - HAROLD AND KUMAR ACTOR GOES TO THE WHITE HOUSE

HAROLD AND KUMAR ACTOR GOES TO THE WHITE HOUSE

The star of the cult Harold and Kumar films is to take a job in the administration of US president Barack Obama.

Kal Penn, who plays Kumar in the popular stoner comedies, is to work in the Office of Public Liaison having campaigned for the 44th US president.

The 31-year-old's role will be to improve the White House's links with the Asian and Pacific Islander communities as well as entertainment and arts groups.

Penn, who starred in Mira Nair's The Namesake as well as the two Harold and Kumar films, will be leaving medical drama House to take the prestigious job in the Obama administration.

"There's not a lot of financial reward in these jobs. But, obviously, the opportunity to serve in a capacity like this is an incredible honour," he told Huffingtonpost.com.

"I have been thinking about [moving into politics] for a while. It is probably because of the value system my grandparents instilled in me.

"They marched with Gandhi in the Indian independence movement and that was always in the back of my head."