Eva Mendes 'worked hard' to love herself

Eva Mendes "loves" herself.

The 36-year-old beauty confesses to having worked hard to become confident in her skin, and she thinks it is why people like her.

She said: "I have worked very hard to love myself, and I do. I think that's what people may respond to with me. Cause there are a ton of beautiful girls in this business with beautiful bodies."

However, the Bad Lieutenant star also admits she still gets nervous performing sex scenes in films despite considering herself "attractive".

She told Allure magazine: "When other actresses who aren't thought of, maybe, as being as attractive to do full-frontal, they're called brave.

"Nobody has ever said, 'Eva, you're so brave for doing full-frontal nudity.' Just because I'm attractive doesn't mean it's not scary. Why am I not brave?"

She also claims she wants to be known as more than just a "sexy" woman, although admits her image is her own responsibility to deal with.

She told Allure magazine: "I'm definitely responsible for the image that I put out there.

"But it does become frustrating, because I don't want 'sexy' to be my defining characteristic. I'd love for my ambition and will and intellect and sense of humour to define me as well."