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Ron Lester

Best known for playing Billy Bob in 1999’s Varsity Blues, Lester, now 40, was over 500 pounds at his heaviest. By December of 2000 he had had enough of playing obese characters and not being able to move comfortably on the set. He turned to gastric bypass surgery (which was still experimental at the time) and needed 17 follow-up procedures to remove excess skin. He slimmed down to a healthy 193 pounds.

Next: Al Roker