Speaking of his "overnight success" through "Good Will Hunting", Damon said by that time he had been working in the cinema for 11 years, but still found the change "nearly indescribable—going from total obscurity to walking down a street in New York and having everybody turn and look". Before the film, Damon played the lead in the critically acclaimed drama, "The Rainmaker" (1997), where he was recognized by the "Los Angeles Times" as "a talented young actor on the brink of stardom." For the role, Damon gained most of the weight he had lost for "Courage Under Fire". After meeting Damon on the set of "Good Will Hunting", director Steven Spielberg cast him in the brief title role in the 1998 World War II film "Saving Private Ryan". He co-starred with Edward Norton in the 1998 poker film "Rounders", where he plays a reformed gambler in law school who must return to playing big stakes poker to help a friend pay off loan sharks. Despite meager earnings at the box-office, the film has developed a cult status over the years.