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Women are rallying behind acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered criticism online over her appearance during a red carpet function.

She appeared at a Netflix event in Los Angeles recently during which an online segment about her part in season two of Wednesday became dominated by comments about her age.

Voices of Support

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, described the negative reaction "complete nonsense", stating that "males escape this expiration date imposed on women".

"Males escape such a timeline that women do," argued Ms White.

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, commented in contrast to men, females are subject to unfair scrutiny for ageing and Zeta-Jones should be able to look as she wishes.

Digital Backlash

During the interview, which was also posted on social media and had over 2.5 million views, the actor, hailing from Swansea, talked about the pleasure of delving into her role, the Addams Family matriarch, in the latest season.

But a large portion of the hundreds of comments centered on her years and were critical regarding her looks.

The negative remarks sparked widespread defence for the actor, such as a popular post from one Facebook user which stated: "People criticize women when they get too much work done and bully them for not having enough."

Online users came to her defence, as one put it: "This is aging naturally and she is gorgeous."

Many labelled her as "gorgeous" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "she appears her age - which is simply reality."

Making a Point

She appeared at the studio recently makeup-free to "prove a point" and to show the absence of a "template" of how a woman in her 50s is supposed to look.

As with others in her demographic, she explained she "maintains her wellbeing" not to appear younger but to feel "well" and appear "vibrant".

"Getting older represents an honour and provided we age as well as possible, this is what is important," she added.

She contended that men were not subject to equivalent appearance ideals, stating "people don't ask how old certain male celebrities might be - they only appear 'wonderful'."

She explained this was a key factor behind her participation in the competition for women over 45, in order to demonstrate that females of a certain age continue to exist" and "retain their appeal".

The Core Issue

Sali Hughes, an author and presenter of Welsh origin, stated that although Zeta-Jones was "gorgeous" that is "not the point", adding she deserves to be able to appear however she liked without her years coming under examination.

She stated the online abuse demonstrated that no female is "protected" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "constant narrative" which says they are lacking or youthful enough - a situation that is "infuriating, irrespective of the individual targeted".

When asked if males encounter equivalent judgment, she responded "no, never", explaining women were attacked merely for having the "audacity" to exist on social media while growing older.

An Impossible Standard

Even with the wellness sector emphasizing "youthful longevity", the author stated females are still face criticism regardless of if they grow older gracefully or opted for procedures including plastic surgery or injections.

"Should you grow older naturally, commenters state more could be done; if you get treatments, you're accused of trying too hard," she added.