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Women are rallying in defence of Oscar-winning actor Zeta-Jones following she faced scrutiny on social media over her appearance at a recent red carpet event.

Zeta-Jones attended a promotional function in Los Angeles on 9 November where a TikTok interview featuring her character in the latest Wednesday was overshadowed because of remarks focusing on her age.

A Chorus of Defence

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, called the negative reaction "complete nonsense", noting that "men don't have 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.

Beauty journalist aged 50, Sali Hughes, stated in contrast to men, females are unfairly judged as they age and the actor deserves to be able to appear however she liked.

Online Reaction

During the interview, also shared to social media and garnered millions of views, Zeta-Jones, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, discussed how much she enjoyed delving into her role, the Addams Family matriarch, in season two.

Yet many of the hundreds of comments centered on her age and were negative about her appearance.

This criticism sparked significant support of the actor, such as a popular post online which declared: "People criticize females when they get cosmetic procedures and criticize them when they don't have sufficient procedures."

Commenters also rallied in support, one stating: "This is ageing naturally and she is gorgeous."

Others described her as "stunning" and "very attractive", while someone else said that "she appears her age - that's called reality."

Making a Point

She appeared at the studio recently without any makeup to make a statement and to highlight there was no set "template" of how a female in midlife is supposed to look.

Like many women in her demographic, she said she "takes care of herself" not to look younger but in order to feel "improved" and appear "vibrant".

"Ageing is a gift and if we can age as well as possible, that's what really matters," she stated further.

She contended that men aren't judged by equivalent beauty standards, adding "people don't ask how old famous men are - they just appear 'great'."

Ms White noted that became a key factor for entering the competition for over-45s, to "show that women in midlife continue to exist" and "possess it".

The Core Issue

Hughes, an author and presenter of Welsh origin, commented that although Zeta-Jones was "beautiful" it was "beside the point", adding she ought to be free to look as she wishes free from her age being scrutinised.

She stated the digital criticism proved not a single woman is "immune" and that women do not deserve the "constant narrative" that they are lacking or young enough - a situation that is "galling, no matter the person involved".

When asked if men experience identical criticism, she said "no, never", noting women were criticized merely for demonstrating the "nerve" to live on the internet while aging.

An Impossible Standard

Regardless of the beauty industry emphasizing "age-defiance", she commented females are still judged whether they aged gracefully or chose interventions such as surgical procedures or injections.

"Should you grow older gracefully, people say you ought to try harder; if you undergo work done, people say you trying too hard," she concluded.