GAME FACE

Zach Braff doesn’t smile a lot. He’s not smiling when he’s yakking on the phone, or poking at his stomach when a pair of pants don’t fit smartly, or bursting into song as Jeff Lipsky snaps his photo. Mostly his moods seem to shift from flirty to morose, from smart-ass to serious, from exhibitionist to shy guy.

Funny thing though. He’s got plenty to grin about. The hit TV show “Scrubs,” in which he stars, is up for renewal, and he’s about to direct his adaptation of the Danish film “Open Hearts.” He’s also starring in a new film, set for release next month, called “The Ex,” with Amanda Peet and Jason Bateman, that seems right up his alley. “It’s a movie that’s not your typical comedy; it’s got a darker edge to it,” he says.

The blue-eyed, rubber-faced Braff is not into sports or--let’s face it--fashion. “I just throw on jeans and a T-shirt,” he proclaims. Then he confesses that he favors Dolce & Gabbana formal attire, and that he occasionally catches episodes of “Project Runway.” He also can’t seem to avoid the ubiquitous fashion set (and Us Weekly) and alludes to style-conscious ex-girlfriends (such as Mandy Moore), saying with great zest, “I’ve dated girls who would come home with really cool, fancy T-shirts, really expensive T-shirts.” Apart from the glamour that seems to follow him, the New Jersey native, who just celebrated his 32nd birthday, sounds awfully normal. He takes flying lessons, loves music and foreign films, photography, his dog, and watches TV--a lot of TV. “I have TiVo, I watch ‘The Office,’ ‘30 Rock,’ ‘Lost,’ ‘60 Minutes’--I love ’60 Minutes,’ ” he says.

It turns out, too, that there is one sport he pursues, but it’s not a gym-rat staple--he skis.