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There is a groundswell of support in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she was targeted by scrutiny on social media regarding her appearance following a high-profile appearance.

She appeared at a Netflix event in Hollywood last month where a TikTok interview discussing her role in the latest the 'Wednesday' show was eclipsed due to comments concerning her looks.

A Chorus of Defence

Aged 58, Laura White, called the backlash "complete nonsense", noting that "men aren't given this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women".

"Males escape this sell-by/use-by date that women do," stated Ms White.

Beauty journalist aged 50, Sali Hughes, said differently from men, women were subject to unfair scrutiny for ageing and she ought to be at liberty to appear in any way she chooses.

Online Reaction

Within the clip, uploaded to Facebook and garnered more than 2.5m views, Zeta-Jones, hailing from Swansea, spoke of the pleasure of exploring her role, Morticia Addams, in season two.

But many of the online responses zeroed in on her age and were negative regarding her appearance.

The online backlash triggered a broad defence for the actor, including a viral video from a social media user which declared: "There is criticism for females for having too much work done and criticize them if they avoid sufficient procedures."

Others also rallied in support, with one writing: "It's called ageing naturally and she looks beautiful."

Many labelled her as "stunning" and "very attractive", while someone else said that "she looks her age - which is simply reality."

Making a Point

The winner attended at the studio recently with a bare face as a demonstration and to show the absence of a "template" for what a woman in midlife ought to appear.

As with others her age, she stated she "looks after herself" not to look younger but in order to feel "improved" and be "in good health".

"Growing older is a gift and if we can do it the best we can, this is what is important," she stated further.

She contended that men aren't held to equivalent aesthetic benchmarks, noting "no-one questions the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones might be - they only are described as 'wonderful'."

She explained this was a key factor behind her participation in the competition for women over 45, in order to demonstrate that midlife women are still here" and "retain their appeal".

Unfair Scrutiny

Hughes, a journalist from Wales, said that while Zeta-Jones was "stunning" this is "irrelevant", stating further she deserves to be at liberty to look however she liked free from her age facing scrutiny.

She said the online abuse demonstrated not a single woman is "exempt" and that women do not deserve the "ongoing theme" which says they are lacking or youthful enough - a situation that is "galling, irrespective of the individual targeted".

Questioned on whether males encounter the same scrutiny, she answered "not at all", explaining females are targeted merely for showing "audacity" to live on the internet while growing older.

A No-Win Situation

Even with the wellness sector promoting "youthful longevity", she commented females are still criticised regardless of if they grow older without intervention or opted for procedures such as plastic surgery or fillers.

"If you age gracefully, people say you should do more; if you undergo procedures, you're accused of trying too hard," she added.