Eva Mendes is a beaded bombshell in a jeweled (and partially sheer) Dolce & Gabbana bustier on Marie Claire's March 2012 cover.

Inside the issue, the actress opens up about "The Place Beyond the Pines" co-star (ahem, and boyfriend) Ryan Gosling, her personal idols and her 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," said Eva.

Check out another photo from Eva's va-va-voom shoot below, and find more of her interview at marieclaire.com.

Photos: Marie Claire