Eva Mendez Talks Boobs, Babes, and Batman.

Eva Mendez sat down with Moviefone to discuss the 2008 year in review with the release of her new movie, The Spirit, just two days away and discussed the whilrwind year she’s had.  From a reported stint in rehab, which she will neither confirm nor deny; a topless photo spread in Italian Vogue and a steamy Calvin Klein ad campaign, deemed too racy and banned by U.S. networks.

Eva talks in the interview about her scandalous ads, her co-stars, and her movie preferences of the year.

You can check out the full interview by clicking here, or check out a few highlights below.

MF: You made headlines this year for some very revealing shoots. First there was the Italian Vogue photos, then a banned Calvin Klein ad. Are you collecting proof that America is too sexually conservative?
EM: You know what? I’m American, and I’m as proud as you get. But I think it’s easier for us to portray violence, and then to be OK with it, than it is for some reason to portray nudity. And look: I don’t like gratuitous nudity, and I believe that I’ve never been a part of gratuitous nudity, in a film or in a photo shoot. I feel like all my stuff has always been, if not artful, if not artsy, you know, tasteful. I think we’re a bit conservative when it comes to nudity and sexuality. And it’s so funny because I’d much rather see a beautiful nude of a woman than see these girls with these Triple-D fake boobs in a bikini. To me, that’s more vulgar than seeing a beautiful nude of a natural body.

MF:So it’s a matter of taste?
EM: Yeah. It’s like, who cares if you actually see the nipple in the nude? It’s a beautiful, natural nude. Versus, you know, women in these tiny, little, itsy bitsy bikinis with boobs that really don’t belong on their body. And I’m not against fake breasts at all; I’m not against augmentation. But I think when you get to that point of vulgarity where it’s not in proportion, that’s more vulgar to me than a beautiful nude.

MF: So what was your preference this year, ‘Dark Knight’ or ‘Iron Man’?
EM: That’s really hard. Can I have, like, ‘Iron Man’ on Friday, and then ‘Dark Knight’ on Wednesday?
[Laughs] God, I don’t know. I think that ‘Iron Man’ was just a really fun film, but I think ‘The Dark Knight’ was a little deeper.

MF: You worked with Scarlett Johannson before, in ‘My Brother the Pig.’
EM:[Laughs] It was my second job ever. She was a pro. She still is, of course, but she was [even at age 13]. She was just really amazing to work with because she was like this mini-adult. So to reunite with her [in ‘The Spirit’] was really special. And at that point it was interesting because when Scarlett and I sat down, Frank had not yet really written her character. It wasn’t fleshed out, and there was never a scene with her character and my character. But he saw our dynamic together, and he was like “Well, I definitely want to capture some of this.”‘ She’s like my wiser little sister in a way.