College boys come up to me like, ‘Hey Brodie, hey Brodie’, as if I’m thissmart-ass kid,” remarks Jason Lee, mimicking the more excitable fans of hisdebut in Kevin Smith’s Mallrats. “Whereas in fact I’m a 28-year-old familyman.”

Disappointing though it may be for those expecting a real-life versionof the scatological Brodie or Chasing Amy’s porn-fixated Banky, the actorbehind both is more likely to offer a firm handshake than aMallrats-inspired ‘stink palm’. The former pro-skater’s work rate wouldalso terrify his onscreen alter egos, with the romantic comedy Kissing aFool, the first of five films about to be released here (England). “I’d had a lot of offers to play Generation X wiseguys,” Lee says ofhis manic schedule, “but I wanted to do as much stuff as possible whichwould show me in a different light.”

Having grown up in Southern California’s Huntington Beach, the idea ofacting first occurred to Lee after moving to Los Angeles. “I was burnt outon skating,” he explains, “and I didn’t want to milk it, so a couple ofmiserable auditions for commercials later, I decided to try out for a partin a movie. And the first one I got was Mallrats.”

After Brodie and Banky came the slew of roles that brought the chanceto “take what I’d learned working with Kevin and apply it. In Kissing aFool, my character’s this clean-cut, preppy guy, which could faze people.” Out of the same spirit of reinvention came the part of a billionairecomputer magnate in Lawrence Kasdan’s Mumford. “Lawrence has been aroundthe block a thousand times,” Lee says, “so working with him did a lot formy self-confidence.”

Then there’s his appearance as a “non-wiseass” demon in Kevin Smith’sDogma, already plagued by pre-emptive strikes from the US religious right. Lee doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. “Dogma’s not controversial atall, or at least it shouldn’t be,” he shrugs. “It’s just a supernaturalcomedy.”

Also in the can are American Cuisine, co-starring Irene Jacob, andTony Scott’s Enemy of the State, with Will Smith. “Now that was intense,”Lee laughs. “Millions and millions of dollars, six cameras shooting atonce, helicopters, blocked-off streets, cars getting blown up. I enjoyedit.”

Despite the romantic leads and actions flicks, Lee isn’t sold onstardom yet. “I’m still inexperienced as an actor, so I don’t feel I’vegot the right to start putting my face in front of everyone,” he says. Sothe icon status of Dogma co-stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck doesn’tappeal? “Nah,” Lee shrugs. “Trust me, I don’t have the body for it.”