Naomie Harris says playing a Bond girl made her feel ''darn good'' about her looks.

The 37-year-old beauty, who played Eve Moneypenny in blockbuster hit 'Skyfall', admits playing a glamorous secret agent opposite Daniel Craig as James Bond helped alleviate her insecurities about her appearance.

She explained: ''I have to say, it does make me feel pretty darn good. When you get those moments when you feel, 'Oh God, I look like such a minger today' ... Then you think, 'I was cast a Bond girl, you can't really be that much of a minger, Naomie!' ''

While many actors play coy about Oscar buzz for their roles, the British actress candidly admitted she is excited about potential awards recognition for her portrayal of Nelson Mandela's ex-wife Winnie in new biopic 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom'.

She said: ''I'd be bloody over the moon! I'm not gonna be, 'Oh no, not an Oscar nomination!' ''

However, Naomie insists she never considered getting an accolade when she accepted the role and remains cautious about her movies, because her scenes often get cut.

She told Total Film magazine: ''The amount of films that I've done where I think, 'I'm doing a really great performance,' and then it's cut down or you see it and think [pulls a face of shock and disgust] ... There are a million things that come into play that are out of your control. It has to be about the journey, not the final product.''