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There is a groundswell of support behind acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones after she faced scrutiny across platforms about her appearance following a industry event.

Zeta-Jones attended a Netflix event in Hollywood recently during which an online segment featuring her role in the new series of the 'Wednesday' show was eclipsed due to remarks about her looks.

Voices of Support

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, called the negative reaction "utter foolishness", adding that "males escape such a timeline which women face".

"Males escape this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women," said Laura White.

Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, stated in contrast to men, females are criticized for ageing and she ought to be able to appear in any way she chooses.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, uploaded to Facebook and attracted over 2.5 million views, Zeta-Jones, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, spoke of the pleasure of delving into her character, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two.

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

The online backlash sparked significant support for Zeta-Jones, including a viral video from a social media user which declared: "You bully women for having cosmetic procedures and attack them if they avoid enough work."

Online users rallied in support, with one writing: "She is ageing naturally and she is stunning."

Many labelled her as "gorgeous" and "very attractive", with another adding that "she appears her age - that's called the natural process."

Making a Point

She appeared on air earlier without any makeup to "prove a point" and to highlight that there is no fixed "template" of how a female in midlife should look like.

Like many women her age, she stated she "maintains her wellbeing" not for a youthful appearance but so she feels "well" and look "in good health".

"Ageing is an honour and if we can age as well as possible, that is what is important," she added.

She contended that men aren't held to identical beauty standards, stating "no-one questions how old Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones are - they just appear 'fantastic'."

She said that became part of the motivation for entering Miss Great Britain's category for over-45s, in order to demonstrate that females of a certain age remain relevant" and "still have it".

The Core Issue

The author, a writer and commentator from Wales, stated that although the actor is "gorgeous" this is "beside the point", adding she ought to be at liberty to appear however she liked without her age being scrutinised.

She stated the digital criticism proved not a single woman is "protected" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "perpetual story" suggesting they are insufficient or young enough - an issue that is "maddening, irrespective of the person involved".

Asked if men experience identical criticism, she responded "no, never", noting women were attacked simply for demonstrating the "audacity" to exist on social media while aging.

A Double Bind

Even with cosmetic companies advocating for "longevity", she commented females are still face criticism if they age without intervention or underwent treatments including plastic surgery or injections.

"When a woman ages without intervention, commenters state you ought to try harder; if you undergo treatments, you are criticized for trying too hard," she added.