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There is a groundswell of support behind acclaimed star Zeta-Jones following she faced disparaging remarks online regarding her looks at a recent red carpet appearance.

Zeta-Jones attended an industry gathering in Hollywood last month where a social media clip discussing her role in season two of the 'Wednesday' show was eclipsed because of remarks concerning her looks.

A Chorus of Defence

Laura White, 58, described the backlash "absolute rubbish", noting that "men don't have such a timeline which women face".

"Men don't have this expiration date which women face," argued Laura White.

Author aged 50, Sali Hughes, said unlike men, women were criticized for ageing and the actor deserves to be at liberty to appear however she liked.

Digital Backlash

In the video, uploaded to social media and garnered millions of views, the actor, hailing from Swansea, discussed how much she enjoyed delving into her part, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two.

However a significant number of the hundreds of comments centered on her age and were critical about her appearance.

This criticism triggered a broad defence of Zeta-Jones, such as a widely-shared clip from a social media user which declared: "You bully women when they get treatments and attack them when they don't have sufficient procedures."

Others also spoke up for her, with one writing: "This is ageing naturally and she appears stunning."

Others described her as "gorgeous" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "she appears her age - that is life."

Making a Point

She appeared at the studio recently makeup-free as a demonstration and to demonstrate the absence of a "blueprint" for what a woman of a certain age ought to appear.

As with others of her years, she said she "maintains her wellbeing" not to appear younger but to feel "better" and look "in good health".

"Ageing is a gift and provided we age the best we can, this is what is important," she continued.

She argued that men aren't subject to identical aesthetic benchmarks, stating "nobody scrutinizes the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones might be - they simply are described as 'wonderful'."

She said this was a key factor behind her participation in Miss Great Britain's category for women over 45, to "show that women in midlife are still here" and "still have it".

The Core Issue

Hughes, a journalist of Welsh origin, commented that while Zeta-Jones was "stunning" this is "beside the point", noting she deserves to be free to look in any way she chooses without her years coming under examination.

Hughes argued the digital criticism showed no woman was "protected" and that females should not face the "perpetual story" which says they are not good enough or young enough - a situation that is "infuriating, regardless of the person involved".

When asked if males encounter the same scrutiny, she answered "absolutely not", explaining females are attacked just for showing "audacity" to live on social media while growing older.

A No-Win Situation

Despite the wellness sector advocating for "age-defiance", she commented women were still criticised regardless of if they grow older naturally or opted for procedures such as surgical procedures or injections.

"Should you grow older gracefully, people say you should do more; when you have work done, you're accused of not aging gracefully enough," she remarked further.