A strapping strawberry blond originally from Wisconsin, Beyer had concentrated on athletics in high school but while attending the University of Minnesota "drifted into acting". On the advice of one of his teachers, he relocated to NYC after graduation and began landing roles in off-off and off-Broadway productions. In 1997, he was cast as a police officer in James Mangold's "Cop Land" but the majority of his part was edited out of the final version. A supporting role in the indie "Enough Already" (1998) followed before the actor delivered his breakthrough 1998 stage performance as a Texas drifter who becomes embroiled in a hostage situation in "Chili Queen", a play by TV commentator Jim Lehrer. Beyer earned strong notices from the critics and caught the attention of a prominent casting director who, in turn, recommended him for "The General's Daughter". In his one scene, the actor proved the adage that "there are no small parts" by holding his own against Madeleine Stowe (as the inquisitor) and displaying a charismatic screen presence. Later that same year, Beyer proved his versatility playing the sexually voracious straight roommate of a gay songwriter in "trick" and a bellhop who romances a free-spirited murderess (Melanie Griffith) in Antonio Banderas' directorial debut "Crazy in Alabama". Proving that he was not one to abandon his theatrical roots, he also returned to off-Broadway to portray the dim-witted surfer boyfriend of an aspiring writer in "Wonderland" (1999).