Although Eva Mendes refuses to talk about her boyfriend Ryan Gosling, the actress decided to tell Lucky magazine about other aspects of her personal life including her slender figure for the magazine's upcoming October issue.

Although Mendes prides herself on being a dedicated actress, the star's mother doesn't care for the measures she takes for a role. The "How to Catch a Monster" actress told the magazine, "I'll do anything for a role. For 'A Place Beyond the Pines,' I exercised a lot.

"I wanted my character to feel really depleted. But my mom didn't understand why I would want to look that way. She's constantly telling me I'm too skinny!"

However, the 39-year actress did admit that she had a certain weakness for meringue cake from Porto's, a Cuban bakery near her Los Angeles home.

Despite her sweet tooth, Mendes looked gorgeous as she posed for her spread in Lucky. She wore a clingy black A-line skirt paired with a tight top and slip-on kitten heels.

[To see photos of Eva Mendes in Lucky magazine click HERE]

When speaking about her New York & Company Collection the actress said, "I never thought I would be a designer, if that's what I am."

She added, "And at first, I wasn't sure I could do it." However, the actress got the push of courage she needed from the women in her family. She revealed, "They were like, "Evie, you have to do this!"

Mendes told the magazine that her line is meant for women of all shapes and sizes. She said, "My customer is not a fan of the way tabloids cover celebrity style: 'Who wore it best.' It's disastrous for women's self-esteem. With fashion, there is no right or wrong."

But the actress told the magazine that having confidence is important. She explained, "Of course, to feel beautiful, you have to have healthy self-esteem and work on yourself, and that can be hard."

She went on to say, "And there are days when I don't feel great, but I put on my favorite dress and throw a scarf in my hair, and it makes all the difference. Hopefully my line can do that for women. Even if you're not feeling your best, let's admit it, the right outfit - it helps."

We wonder if her beau and "The Place Beyond the Pines" co-star Ryan Gosling contributes to her "healthy self-esteem," but it looks like the "Hitch" star isn't interested in talking about her off-screen romance.

She told Lucky, "You can ask about my boyfriend. I just won't answer."

To read the rest of Eva Mendes' interview with the October issue of Lucky magazine click HERE]