🔗 Share this article Ladies Stand For the Oscar-Winning Actor Over Age-Related Criticism Acclaimed star Zeta-Jones faced online commentary regarding her appearance during a Netflix event recently. There is a groundswell of support behind acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she faced scrutiny online about her looks following a red carpet function. Zeta-Jones attended an industry gathering in Los Angeles on 9 November during which a TikTok interview featuring her character in season two of Wednesday became dominated by remarks about her appearance. Voices of Support Laura White, 58, called the backlash "absolute rubbish", stating that "men aren't given such a timeline which women face". "Men are free from this expiration date which women face," argued the pageant winner. Beauty journalist aged 50, Sali Hughes, said differently from men, females are unfairly judged growing older and she ought to be free to look in any way she chooses. The Social Media Storm In the video, which was also posted on social media and had millions of views, the actor, hailing from Swansea, talked about how much she enjoyed exploring her part, the Addams Family matriarch, in the latest season. Yet a large portion of the hundreds of comments focused on her years and were critical regarding her appearance. The online backlash sparked widespread defence for the actor, such as a widely-shared clip from a social media user which said: "There is criticism for females when they get too much work done and criticize them when they don't have sufficient procedures." Online users came to her defence, as one put it: "This is aging naturally and she looks beautiful." Others described her as "stunning" and "so pretty", and one comment read that "she appears her age - which is simply life." Challenging Perceptions Ms White arrived without cosmetics on air to make a statement. The winner attended for her interview recently without any makeup to "prove a point" and to highlight that there is no fixed "template" of how a woman of a certain age is supposed to look. As with others in her demographic, she stated she "looks after herself" not to look younger but so she feels "well" and be "healthy". "Growing older is an honour and when we age the best we can, this is what really matters," she added. She argued that men were not subject to equivalent appearance ideals, adding "no-one questions how old certain male celebrities are - they only appear 'great'." She said this was one of the reasons she entered the pageant's division for over-45s, to prove that midlife women continue to exist" and "still have it". Unfair Scrutiny From Wales author and commentator Hughes states women face being often and harshly scrutinized for ageing. The author, a journalist from Wales, said that while Zeta-Jones was "gorgeous" that is "irrelevant", adding she deserves to be at liberty to look as she wishes without her age coming under examination. She said the digital criticism proved no woman was "immune" and that females should not face the "constant narrative" suggesting they are not good enough or of the right age - an issue that is "maddening, irrespective of the individual targeted". When asked if men experience equivalent judgment, she said "not at all", explaining women were attacked just for having the "nerve" to be present on the internet while growing older. A Double Bind Regardless of the beauty industry emphasizing "youthful longevity", Hughes said females are still criticised whether they aged naturally or underwent treatments such as cosmetic surgery or fillers. "When a woman ages without intervention, others claim you should do more; when you have work done, you're accused of trying too hard," she added.