Having played notable supporting roles for several years now in projects like The Hangover trilogy and Community, Ken Jeong is turning leading man with his upcoming sitcom, Dr. Ken . Created by and co-executive produced by Jeong, the series is based on Jeong’s own real life experiences working as a physician before his second career in Hollywood took off.

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During the recent network Upfront week, just after ABC ordered Dr. Ken to series, I spoke with Jeong about Dr. Ken and how he’s approaching the multi-cam comedy. We also discussed the uncertain future of Community, which is airing its Season 6 finale on Yahoo next week. Community has been a remarkably resilient series, even surviving NBC canceling it last year. But with several of the cast, Jeong included, joining other TV series, should we assume this is the actual final season for the show? Jeong weighed in on why it may not be the end for Greendale just yet…

Kate Simses, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Jonathan Slavin and Ken Jeong in Dr. Ken.

Ken Jeong as Ben Chang in Community.

It really is loosely based on my life as a physician before I became an actor. It is loosely based on my family life as well. It is so surreal… Honestly, just finding out a few days ago, I can’t believe it got picked up to series. I’m so happy. I’m just beyond grateful right now, man, I’ll be honest with you. It’s quite a rush to find out and now literally standing here talking to you. I’m so grateful to ABC and it’s just been a whirlwind.That’s a good question. I really made a point not to watch too many multi-cams or other shows, because this is a multi-camera show. I really wanted to use what I’ve learned in six years on Community and even what I’ve learned from movies, form The Hangover, to just cultivate my instincts of what I want this show to be. I remember thinking about Dan Harmon on the first season of Community and how Community did not become Community like what we know of it now until possibly the 20th episode or the 23rd, when we did our paintball episode.So even back then, I recognized the beginning of every series is an evolution, is a process, and to try to keep an open mind. I remember Harmon, who is really one of the smartest people I’ve met in my life, I remember him saying, “You just want to go for it. Treat every show like your last and keep going for it.” I think that’s the key and the show will reveal itself as you go.Never assume that. I’ll never leave Community. There’s already some nice developments within Yahoo that I’m not really privy to talk about. But we’ll all be together in some shape or form. They’re my family. In my head, we’re not ending it, we’re expanding. We’ll always be together.This last season at Yahoo, honestly, was probably my favorite season in so many ways because it was such a miracle that we got there and I had some of my favorite Chang moments of the entire series. That Karate Kid episode and “Ham, Girl!” and everything there. And the finale, I can’t wait for that. There are so many wonderful moments that I get choked up thinking about it. Those guys are my family. I keep saying to myself, with Dr. Ken, if I can bring the passion that everyone brings to Community to any of my future projects, you can’t go wrong with that. I’ve learned so much on that show.Of course. If you do what you love and you’re with people you love, you’ll always make it work. I know that we’ll always be together. That’s all I can really say. I just love those guys.

Dr. Ken debuts this fall on ABC. Community's season finale will premiere on Tuesday, June 2nd on Yahoo Screen.Eric Goldman is Executive Editor of IGN TV. You can follow him on Twitter at @EricIGN , IGN at ericgoldman-ign and Facebook at Facebook.com/TheEricGoldman