Kal Penn, 'Harold and Kumar' actor and former Obama staffer, says he is engaged to his boyfriend of 11 years

• The "Harold and Kumar" actor Kal Penn said he is engaged to his boyfriend of 11 years.
• He talks about the relationship in his new book, and told People that they were engaged.

The "Harold and Kumar" actor Kal Penn has said he is engaged to his boyfriend of 11 years.

Penn, who also worked with former President Barack Obama, writes about his partner Josh in his new book, "You Can't Be Serious." He has not shared Josh's last name.

He told People in an interview about the book: "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."

And he said: "Obviously I am engaged to a man and our families will be there for the wedding."

He also talked about the book on CBS's "Sunday Morning."

He said: "I mean, you know, Josh and I've been together for 11 years. We had our 11th anniversary in October. So, for me and writing about it, I think the tricky thing was, you're right, it's very matter-of-fact in our lives, and when you're the son of Indian immigrants who says that you want to be an actor, the chaos that creates in your family and your community, will trump anything else, always."

The "Harold & Kumar" star worked under the Obama administration as the associate director for the Office of Public Engagement for two years in the late 2000s. Penn told People that he met Josh whilst he was working in the White House.

In his book, according to People, Penn talks about their first date. He writes that Josh came to Penn's apartment with an 18-pack of Coors Light and turned the TV on to watch NASCAR.

"I thought, 'This obviously is not going to work out,'" he told People. "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?'"

Penn also said that his family was supportive of his relationship with Josh.

He added: "I discovered my own sexuality relatively late in life compared to many other people. There's no timeline on this stuff. People figure their shit out at different times in their lives, so I'm glad I did when I did."