Nellie Andreeva

Kal Penn has been tapped as the lead in ABC’s comedy pilot Prairie Dogs. The single-camera project, from writers/executive producers Jackie and Jeff Filgo and ABC Studios, centers on Neil (Penn), an uncool cubicle worker aka “prairie dog” at one of the coolest companies in the world who becomes the victim of identity theft. When he discovers the thief has created a much more fulfilling life with his identity than he ever has, he engages the charismatic conman to help him change his life. I hear that Penn’s casting in the pilot has a development deal behind it, meaning that ABC would develop another project for him should Prairie Dogs not make it to series. Harold & Kumar‘s Penn, who co-starred on Fox’s medical drama House before he left acting for a 2-year stint at the White House, had a development deal at NBC earlier this season. When the project he was attached to didn’t go, he received multiple offers for other pilots, settling on Prairie Dogs. Penn, repped by Gersh and manager Dan Spilo, has been recurring on hit CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother this season.

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