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There is a groundswell of support behind Oscar-winning actor Zeta-Jones after she was targeted by criticism on social media regarding her appearance following a red carpet appearance.

She appeared at a promotional function in Hollywood recently during which an online segment featuring her role in season two of Wednesday became dominated by discussion about her appearance.

A Chorus of Defence

Aged 58, Laura White, called the backlash "utter foolishness", adding that "males escape such a timeline that women do".

"Males escape this expiration date imposed on women," said Laura White.

Author aged 50, Sali Hughes, said differently from men, women were unfairly judged as they age and she ought to be able to appear as she wishes.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, also shared to Facebook and had millions of views, the actor, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, spoke of her enjoyment in portraying her character, Morticia Addams, in the latest season.

But a large portion of the hundreds of comments zeroed in on her age and were negative regarding her looks.

The negative remarks sparked significant support for Zeta-Jones, featuring a viral video online which stated: "You bully females if they undergo too much work done and bully them when they don't have sufficient procedures."

Others also spoke up for her, one stating: "She is ageing naturally and she looks stunning."

Others described her as "gorgeous" and "lovely", while someone else said that "she appears her age - that's called life."

Challenging Perceptions

Ms White arrived on air earlier makeup-free to make a statement and to highlight there was no set "blueprint" of how a woman in midlife is supposed to look.

As with others of her years, she explained she "takes care of herself" not for a youthful appearance but in order to feel "improved" and appear "vibrant".

"Ageing is a gift and if we can age gracefully, this is what truly counts," she stated further.

Ms White stated that males are not subject to identical appearance ideals, stating "nobody scrutinizes how old certain male celebrities might be - they only are described as 'wonderful'."

She explained that became a key factor she entered the competition the classic category, to prove that women in midlife are still here" and "still have it".

Unfair Scrutiny

Hughes, an author and presenter from Wales, commented that while the actor is "gorgeous" this is "irrelevant", noting she deserves to be free to look however she liked free from her age being scrutinised.

She stated the digital criticism proved that no female is "protected" and that females should not face the "ongoing theme" suggesting they are insufficient or of the right age - an issue that is "maddening, no matter who the victim is".

Questioned on whether males encounter the same scrutiny, she said "no, never", explaining women were criticized just for showing "boldness" to exist online while growing older.

A No-Win Situation

Even with cosmetic companies emphasizing "youthful longevity", the author stated women were still criticised regardless of if they grow older naturally or chose interventions such as cosmetic surgery or injectables.

"Should you grow older without intervention, others claim you ought to try harder; if you get procedures, you're accused of trying too hard," she remarked further.