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There is a groundswell of support in defence of Oscar-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones following she faced scrutiny on social media about her appearance following a industry event.

She appeared at a Netflix event in LA last month where a social media clip featuring her character in season two of Wednesday became dominated by comments about her looks.

Voices of Support

Laura White, 58, labelled the negative reaction "absolute rubbish", stating that "males escape this sell-by/use-by date that women do".

"Men don't have such a timeline imposed on women," argued Ms White.

Beauty journalist aged 50, Sali Hughes, said unlike men, women were subject to unfair scrutiny growing older and the actor deserves to be at liberty to appear as she wishes.

Online Reaction

During the interview, also shared to social media and had more than 2.5m views, Zeta-Jones, hailing from Swansea, talked about her enjoyment in delving into her part, Morticia Addams, in season two.

But many of the hundreds of comments centered on her age and were critical towards her appearance.

The negative remarks triggered significant support for Zeta-Jones, including a widely-shared clip from one Facebook user which stated: "You bully females when they get treatments and criticize them for not having sufficient procedures."

Commenters also came to her defence, one stating: "It's called aging naturally and she appears gorgeous."

Many labelled her as "gorgeous" and "so pretty", while someone else said that "she appears her age - that's called life."

Challenging Perceptions

She appeared on air earlier with a bare face to "prove a point" and to show the absence of a "mold" of how a woman of a certain age is supposed to look.

Like many women her age, she explained she "takes care of herself" not to look younger but to feel "well" and look "healthy".

"Growing older is an honour and provided we do it the best we can, this is what is important," she stated further.

She argued that men aren't judged by the same beauty standards, noting "no-one questions how old certain male celebrities might be - they just are described as 'fantastic'."

Ms White noted that became one of the reasons she entered the competition for women over 45, to "show that midlife women remain relevant" and "still have it".

Unfair Scrutiny

Sali Hughes, an author and presenter from Wales, commented that while Zeta-Jones was "gorgeous" it was "beside the point", adding she should be able to look however she liked absent her age coming under examination.

Hughes argued the digital criticism showed that no female is "protected" and that females should not face the "perpetual story" that they are insufficient or of the right age - a problem that is "maddening, no matter who the victim is".

When asked if men face equivalent judgment, she responded "no, never", adding females are attacked merely for having the "audacity" to live on the internet as they age.

An Impossible Standard

Regardless of the wellness sector emphasizing "longevity", she commented females are still face criticism if they age gracefully or chose interventions such as plastic surgery or injections.

"When a woman ages without intervention, people say more could be done; if you get work done, you're accused of trying too hard," she remarked further.