Kal Penn To Star In FX Comedy Series ‘Belated’ About Coming Out As Gay Later In Life

Kal Penn has been cast as the male lead of FX’s forthcoming comedy pilot Belated, to be written, directed and executive produced by Rescue Me and The Job co-creator Peter Tolan.

According to Deadline, the half-hour comedy follows Owen (Penn), a man who has come out in his 40s, along with his ex-wife Diana, as they attempt to navigate their new normal. The pair continue to co-parent together while entering into new relationships. Owen also befriends a 17-year-old trans teen named Clay.

This project has personal significance for both Tolan, who came out as gay later in life, and Penn, 44, who came out a couple of weeks ago, announcing his engagement to his partner of 11 years in his memoir “You Can’t Be Serious”, published on November 2.

Penn’s character Owen is a dry-witted, intelligent, head of pediatrics at a top New York City hospital. He had a great wife, family and a home in a quaint, upscale Connecticut town. A hookup with another man, however, makes Owen reevaluate his sexual orientation and belatedly realize that he is gay.

He is forced to find ways to navigate his new reality while fixing things with his loved ones, a challenge made a bit more difficult after trans teen Clay randomly arrives on Owen’s front stoop.

FX Productions is the studio along with Nick Alford of Tolan’s Cloudland who is executive producing the pilot.

Michael is a music and television junkie keen on most things that are not a complete and total bore. You can follow him on Twitter — @Tweetskoor