While many remember him as Kumar in the Harold & Kumar franchise, Penn has had a fascinating post- Van Wilder career. He served as the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement under President Barack Obama. He’s also had major TV roles in Designated Survivor , House (as Dr. Lawrence Kutner), and Clarice . Most recently, he stars in the legal dramedy The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix. Lauren Cohan (Charlotte Higginson) Playing the love interest—a cynical, pre-med student who falls for Taj’s bizarre charm—was a pre- Walking Dead Lauren Cohan. Her Charlotte provided the straight-laced anchor to Taj’s chaos.
The Rise of Taj is a time capsule of 2006 comedy. But for fans of Harold & Kumar , The Walking Dead , or just weird early-2000s sequels, revisiting this cast is a fun trip down memory lane. van wilder 2 the rise of taj cast
Rathman has worked steadily in television, with guest spots on CSI: Miami , How I Met Your Mother , and Shameless . He’s also a successful commercial actor and voice artist. He largely left the “gross-out comedy” genre behind for more family-friendly and dramatic fare. The Cameo You Forgot: Ryan Reynolds Technically, the film promised a "special appearance" by Ryan Reynolds as the original Van Wilder. In reality? It’s a split-second, non-speaking shot of Reynolds in a yearbook photo and a brief voiceover. It was a marketing gimmick, but it still counts. While many remember him as Kumar in the
Davidson has shifted her focus heavily toward stunts and action choreography. A trained martial artist, she has worked as a stunt performer in massive productions like Wonder Woman , Justice League , Game of Thrones , and The Witcher . She’s often behind the scenes making other actors look cool. Steven Rathman (Percy) Playing the lovable, heavy-set nerd Percy (who has a surprising talent for... well, let’s call it “manual stimulation”), Steven Rathman provided some of the film’s most awkwardly hilarious moments. Lawrence Kutner), and Clarice
Kal Penn proves he can lead a comedy with manic energy. Lauren Cohan gives a pre-fame performance that hints at her dramatic range. And the supporting cast of British and American character actors sells the absurd culture-clash premise.
In 2006, the raunchy college comedy National Lampoon’s Van Wilder got a spin-off sequel that nobody quite asked for but somehow delivered a cult following anyway. Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj followed the scene-stealing sidekick Taj Mahal Badalandabad (played by Kal Penn) from Coolidge College to the hallowed, snooty halls of England’s Camford University.
Cohan became a global superstar as Maggie Greene on AMC’s The Walking Dead , a role she continues to reprise in spin-offs like Dead City . She’s also starred in The Boy (and its sequel), Whiskey Cavalier (opposite Scott Foley), and Mile 22 with Mark Wahlberg. She’s proof that surviving a Van Wilder sequel is great training for surviving a zombie apocalypse. Daniel Percival (Simon) The film’s primary antagonist was Simon, a smarmy, aristocratic bully who represented everything wrong with Camford’s elitist "Goths" (the secret society, not the eyeliner crowd). Daniel Percival played the villain with just the right amount of punchable smugness.