Eva Mendes wants people to call her “brave” when she appears nude on the silver screen.

The actress is often referred to as one of the sexiest in Hollywood, and has been featured in several lists of the world’s most beautiful women. While she doesn’t mind being called good looking, Eva is annoyed by the way it impacts on her career.

Eva, who is fully nude in the Oscar winning neo classic Training Day, insists she gets treated differently when she strips off for the camera compared to other stars. And she is getting fed up.

– When other actresses who aren’t thought of, maybe, as being quite as attractive 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 still scary, she tells Allure.

– Why am I not brave?

The 36-year-old knows she sometimes plays up to her sexy image, but has decided to stop doing that so much. She would rather be linked to words like “ambition and will and intellect and sense of humour” than sexy, and worries about the message the way she is referred to sends out to her fans.

She explained she doesn’t always feel good about her body, but tries not to obsess over it. She hates it when she begins doubting herself during photo shoots, but has come up with a way of countering the negativity.

– I talk to the voice within me and say, ‘I know you want to tell me that I’m less than desirable, but not now. You can come back in a couple days and cut me down when I’m done with this shoot. I promise to let you in then.

Eva’s friends have played an important part in helping her accept herself. She counts stars such as Drew Barrymore and Liv Tyler as pals, and loves spending time with women. Eva doesn’t’ understand girls who have no female friends.

– You know those girls who say they don’t have any girlfriends? I always say, ‘Run for the hills when you hear that.’