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Females are uniting in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered scrutiny online about her appearance at a recent industry function.

Zeta-Jones attended an industry gathering in LA recently during which a TikTok interview discussing her part in season two of the 'Wednesday' show was eclipsed by discussion concerning her appearance.

Widespread Backing

Aged 58, Laura White, described the negative reaction "complete nonsense", adding that "males escape such a timeline imposed on women".

"Men don't have this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women," stated the pageant winner.

Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, said unlike men, women were unfairly judged as they age and she ought to be at liberty to look in any way she chooses.

Digital Backlash

In the video, uploaded to Facebook and had millions of views, the actor, originally from Mumbles, Swansea, talked about how much she enjoyed delving into her character, Morticia Addams, in the latest season.

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

The negative remarks ignited widespread defence of Zeta-Jones, such as a widely-shared clip online which declared: "You bully females if they undergo too much work done and attack them for not having sufficient procedures."

Online users rallied in support, as one put it: "She is ageing naturally and she looks gorgeous."

Others described her as "stunning" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "she looks her age - that is the natural process."

A Statement Arrival

Ms White arrived on air recently makeup-free as a demonstration and to show there was no set "mold" for what a woman in her 50s should look like.

As with others her age, she said she "maintains her wellbeing" not to appear younger but to feel "better" and be "vibrant".

"Getting older represents an honour and when we do it the best we can, that's what is important," she added.

She argued that men were not held to the same aesthetic benchmarks, stating "nobody scrutinizes how old certain male celebrities are - they just look 'great'."

Ms White noted this was part of the motivation for entering Miss Great Britain's category for women over 45, to prove that midlife women remain relevant" and "possess it".

The Core Issue

Sali Hughes, a writer and commentator of Welsh origin, said that although the actor is "beautiful" this is "irrelevant", adding she ought to be free to appear however she liked free from her age facing scrutiny.

She stated the online abuse showed not a single woman is "protected" and that women do not deserve the "perpetual story" which says they are lacking or youthful enough - a situation that is "maddening, irrespective of who the victim is".

Questioned on whether men experience equivalent judgment, she responded "no, never", adding women were targeted merely for showing "nerve" to exist online as they age.

An Impossible Standard

Despite cosmetic companies emphasizing "youthful longevity", she commented women were still face criticism regardless of if they grow older gracefully or chose interventions like cosmetic surgery or injectables.

"Should you grow older without intervention, others claim you should do more; when you have work done, people say you trying too hard," she concluded.