Matthias Vriens-McGrathAshley Benson shows plenty of skin in the pages of Cosmopolitan's March 2014 issue, but the actress isn't comfortable baring her body for the sake of a cheap thrill.
"I never want to do nudity that's gratuitous," the Pretty Little Liars star says. "Girls look so much better in lingerie or a t-shirt and leave the rest up to the imagination."
Benson, who spent most of Spring Breakers wearing a bikini, set boundaries for herself a long time ago. "I make it clear that I have a line," she explains. "Everyone tries to push you, and it's easy to get talked into doing those things. I'll just walk off set. But not everyone realizes they can do that."
Staying true to herself isn't easy, but Benson knows it's especially important to do so in Hollywood.
"There are drugs and alcohol in my family on both sides, so I've seen lives ruined, going to jail and all that. Once you start with any drug, it can be an addiction—that's why I never want to start and am not even tempted, because that chain is relentless," the TV star tells the magazine. "And if it runs in your family, you see how unglamorous it is. I would never want to be out of control with my body."
Luckily, Benson's on-again boyfriend, Ryan Good, is on the same page. Finally confirming that they are indeed back together, the actress says Justin Bieber's former stylist "is one of the strongest people I've met, so grounded and such a positive influence on people."
What caused the couple's brief split? "We took a break because it was so hard," Benson tells Cosmopolitan. "I work 20-hour days, so I'm always gone. So a lot of your relationship is on the phone and iChatting and trying to catch up."