Eva Mendes Covers 'Marie Claire' March 2012

Eva Mendes sparkles in Dolce&Gabbana on the cover of Marie Claire‘s March 2012 issue, on newsstands Tuesday (February 14).

Here’s what the 37-year-old Girl in Progress star had to share:

On working with Ryan Gosling: “He’s your dream costar. I have never felt so creatively satisfied on a film.”

On body image: “It doesn’t matter what you have or what you look like. It’s something everyone has to work at. I realize I have contributed to a certain happy, healthy, empowered image, but that’s not all of me. I feel it’s important to let women know that I have similar struggles. What I tell girls is what they don’t like about themselves now, they will probably end up loving as an adult, because that’s what happened to me. When I am complimented on things that I didn’t like when I was 13, like my overbite and my mole, that’s when you realize that your imperfections are why people love you.”

On her idols, Julianne Moore and Annette Bening: “I have a girl crush on them. I’d kill to have half the careers they’ve had after 40.”

For more from Eva, visit MarieClaire.com!