A good-looking goof with a flair for comedy, Lee became a professional skateboarder in his teens. He segued to acting in his twenties with a supporting role in Kevin Smith's 1995 comedy Mallrats. The movie went bust but Lee and Smith became buddies and worked together on a number of subsequent projects. Although this appealing actor popped up in a handful of major Hollywood releases, he remained primarily an indie darling, known for his quirky performances and strangely named son, Pilot Inspektor. In 2005, Lee took a gamble on the small screen as the star and producer of My Name Is Earl, a hilariously offbeat and surprisingly successful sitcom.