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Women are rallying in defence of acclaimed star Zeta-Jones following she faced scrutiny online about her appearance at a recent red carpet appearance.

The actor was present at a Netflix event in Los Angeles on 9 November where an online segment featuring her role in the new series of the 'Wednesday' show was eclipsed because of comments concerning her looks.

A Chorus of Defence

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, described the online criticism "absolute rubbish", stating that "men aren't given this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women".

"Men are free from such a timeline imposed on women," argued Ms White.

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, stated unlike men, females are criticized growing older and Zeta-Jones should be free to appear in any way she chooses.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, uploaded to social media and attracted over 2.5 million views, the actor, hailing from Swansea, talked about the pleasure of portraying her role, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two.

Yet a large portion of the hundreds of comments centered on her age and were negative towards her looks.

The online backlash sparked widespread defence for Zeta-Jones, featuring a popular post from a social media user which stated: "There is criticism for females if they undergo treatments and bully them for not having enough."

Commenters also came to her defence, with one writing: "She is growing older naturally and she appears stunning."

Many labelled her as "beautiful" and "lovely", and one comment read that "she looks her age - which is simply the natural process."

A Statement Arrival

Ms White arrived on air earlier without any makeup to "prove a point" and to show the absence of a "template" of how a woman of a certain age should look like.

Like many women her age, she stated she "looks after herself" not to look younger but in order to feel "improved" and look "vibrant".

"Getting older represents an honour and when we do it as well as possible, that is what truly counts," she added.

Ms White stated that males are not held to equivalent beauty standards, adding "nobody scrutinizes how old famous men are - they only appear 'wonderful'."

She said that became part of the motivation behind her participation in Miss Great Britain's category the classic category, to "show that midlife women are still here" and "possess it".

A Fundamental Problem

Sali Hughes, a writer and commentator of Welsh origin, stated that while the actor is "gorgeous" that is "not the point", stating further she ought to be free to appear however she liked free from her age coming under examination.

She said the online abuse showed that no female is "protected" and that women do not deserve the "ongoing theme" which says they are lacking or young enough - a situation that is "infuriating, no matter the person involved".

When asked if males encounter identical criticism, she answered "not at all", explaining women were targeted simply for having the "audacity" to exist online while aging.

A Double Bind

Regardless of the wellness sector advocating for "age-defiance", she commented females are still judged regardless of if they grow older naturally or underwent treatments such as surgical procedures or injections.

"When a woman ages without intervention, others claim you should do more; if you get work done, people say you failing to age well," she concluded.