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There is a groundswell of support in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones after she encountered scrutiny on social media about her looks following a high-profile function.

The actor was present at a Netflix event in LA recently during which an online segment about her part in the new series of Wednesday was overshadowed because of comments concerning her age.

Widespread Backing

Laura White, 58, labelled the negative reaction "utter foolishness", noting that "males escape this sell-by/use-by date that women do".

"Men are free from this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women," said Laura White.

Author Sali Hughes, 50, said in contrast to men, women were subject to unfair scrutiny as they age and the actor deserves to be free to appear in any way she chooses.

Online Reaction

Within the clip, uploaded to Facebook and garnered over 2.5 million views, Zeta-Jones, originally from Mumbles, Swansea, discussed the pleasure of delving into her role, Morticia Addams, in the latest season.

But a large portion of the online responses focused on her years and were disparaging towards her looks.

The online backlash sparked significant support of Zeta-Jones, such as a popular post from one Facebook user which stated: "You bully females if they undergo too much work done and attack them when they don't have sufficient procedures."

Online users spoke up for her, as one put it: "It's called growing older naturally and she looks gorgeous."

Others described her as "gorgeous" and "so pretty", while someone else said that "her appearance reflects her years - that's called the natural process."

Making a Point

She appeared at the studio recently with a bare face to "prove a point" and to highlight there was no set "mold" of how a woman of a certain age is supposed to look.

As with others in her demographic, she stated she "takes care of herself" not to look younger but so she feels "improved" and look "in good health".

"Ageing is a privilege and when we do it as well as possible, that's what is important," she stated further.

She contended that men aren't held to the same beauty standards, noting "nobody scrutinizes the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones are - they just look 'wonderful'."

Ms White noted it was a key factor behind her participation in Miss Great Britain's category the classic category, in order to demonstrate that midlife women continue to exist" and "retain their appeal".

The Core Issue

The author, a journalist of Welsh origin, said that while the actor is "beautiful" it was "not the point", stating further she ought to be able to look however she liked free from her years facing scrutiny.

She said the social media vitriol showed not a single woman is "immune" and that females should not face the "perpetual story" suggesting they are not good enough or of the right age - a problem that is "infuriating, no matter the person involved".

Asked if men face equivalent judgment, she responded "not at all", adding women were attacked simply for showing "nerve" to be present on social media while growing older.

A No-Win Situation

Despite the beauty industry emphasizing "youthful longevity", Hughes said females are still face criticism if they age without intervention or opted for procedures including surgical procedures or fillers.

"When a woman ages gracefully, people say you should do more; if you undergo procedures, you are criticized for failing to age well," she added.