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Women are rallying in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered disparaging remarks across platforms over her appearance during a high-profile event.

She appeared at a Netflix event in Los Angeles recently where a TikTok interview featuring her part in season two of Wednesday became dominated due to remarks focusing on her looks.

Voices of Support

Laura White, 58, labelled the backlash "utter foolishness", stating that "men aren't given such a timeline which women face".

"Males escape such a timeline that women do," argued Ms White.

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, said unlike men, females are criticized for ageing and she ought to be able to appear however she liked.

Digital Backlash

During the interview, which was also posted on social media and garnered over 2.5 million views, Zeta-Jones, hailing from Swansea, spoke of how much she enjoyed exploring her role, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two.

However many of the numerous remarks centered on her years and were disparaging towards her appearance.

This criticism ignited significant support for Zeta-Jones, such as a popular post from one Facebook user which declared: "You bully women if they undergo cosmetic procedures and bully them when they don't have enough work."

Commenters also came to her defence, as one put it: "It's called ageing naturally and she appears beautiful."

Some called her as "gorgeous" and "very attractive", with another adding that "she looks her age - that's called life."

Making a Point

The winner attended at the studio recently makeup-free as a demonstration and to demonstrate that there is no fixed "mold" of how a woman of a certain age is supposed to look.

Similar to numerous females in her demographic, she said she "takes care of herself" not to appear younger but to feel "better" and appear "vibrant".

"Getting older represents a privilege and when we age as well as possible, that's what truly counts," she added.

Ms White stated that men aren't subject to identical aesthetic benchmarks, noting "nobody scrutinizes how old famous men are - they just are described as 'great'."

She explained it was a key factor for entering Miss Great Britain's category for women over 45, in order to demonstrate that females of a certain age are still here" and "still have it".

The Core Issue

The author, a writer and commentator of Welsh origin, commented that while Zeta-Jones was "gorgeous" it was "beside the point", adding she ought to be able to look as she wishes free from her age being scrutinised.

She stated the digital criticism demonstrated not a single woman is "exempt" and that women do not deserve the "constant narrative" which says they are not good enough or youthful enough - a problem that is "galling, no matter the individual targeted".

Questioned on whether males encounter the same scrutiny, she responded "not at all", noting females are targeted just for having the "boldness" to be present on social media as they age.

A No-Win Situation

Regardless of the wellness sector promoting "age-defiance", the author stated females are still face criticism whether they aged naturally or opted for procedures including plastic surgery or injections.

"When a woman ages without intervention, commenters state you should do more; when you have treatments, you are criticized for failing to age well," she added.