American Beauty (1999 film) "American Beauty" to the fledgling DreamWorks studio, which bought the script for $250,000, outbidding several other production bodies. DreamWorks financed the $15 million production and served as its North American distributor. "American Beauty" marked theater director Mendes' film debut; courted after his successful productions of the musicals "Oliver!" and "Cabaret", Mendes was only given the job after 20 others were considered and several A-list directors turned down the opportunity. Spacey was Mendes' first choice for the role of Lester, though DreamWorks urged him to consider better-known actors; similarly, the studio suggested several actors for the role of Carolyn until Mendes
Ron Lester movie "Good Burger" in 1997. In 1999 Lester played the role of Billy Bob in the film Varsity Blues, which would become the role he is most known for. That year he also recurring roles on two TV drama comedies, "Freaks and Geeks" and "￼￼Popular". ￼He also appeared in "Not Another Teen Movie", which parodied his role in "Varsity Blues". In 2001, Lester underwent gastric bypass surgery, losing . Obese since childhood, at his heaviest, he weighed . According to interviews, he flatlined during the operation. After the gastric bypass, he had 18 plastic surgeries to remove excess skin. In