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There is a groundswell of support for Oscar-winning actor Zeta-Jones after she faced criticism across platforms over her appearance at a recent red carpet function.

She appeared at a Netflix event in LA on 9 November where a social media clip discussing her role in the new series of Wednesday was overshadowed because of comments concerning her looks.

Voices of Support

Aged 58, Laura White, called the negative reaction "utter foolishness", noting that "men don't have this expiration date that women do".

"Men don't have this expiration date that women do," said the pageant winner.

Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, said differently from men, females are criticized for ageing and the actor deserves to be at liberty to appear however she liked.

Online Reaction

In the video, uploaded to social media and had more than 2.5m views, the actor, who is from Wales, spoke of her enjoyment in portraying her character, Morticia Addams, in the latest season.

But many of the hundreds of comments zeroed in on her years and were critical regarding her appearance.

This criticism ignited a broad defence of the actor, featuring a popular post from a social media user which declared: "People criticize women if they undergo treatments and bully them for not having enough."

Commenters also rallied in support, with one writing: "It's called ageing naturally and she is stunning."

Many labelled her as "stunning" and "lovely", while someone else said that "she looks her age - which is simply life."

Challenging Perceptions

The winner attended on air recently without any makeup as a demonstration and to demonstrate there was no set "blueprint" of how a female of a certain age is supposed to look.

Like many women in her demographic, she stated she "maintains her wellbeing" not to appear younger but to feel "well" and look "healthy".

"Getting older represents a gift and if we can live gracefully, that is what is important," she added.

She argued that males are not held to the same beauty standards, stating "people don't ask the age of famous men might be - they simply are described as 'great'."

Ms White noted that became a key factor behind her participation in Miss Great Britain's category for over-45s, to prove that females of a certain age continue to exist" and "retain their appeal".

Unfair Scrutiny

The author, a writer and commentator from Wales, stated that while Zeta-Jones was "beautiful" it was "not the point", noting she deserves to be free to look however she liked absent her age coming under examination.

She said the online abuse proved that no female is "protected" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "constant narrative" which says they are lacking or young enough - a situation that is "infuriating, irrespective of the person involved".

When asked if men experience identical criticism, she said "absolutely not", noting women were attacked simply for having the "nerve" to be present on the internet as they age.

A No-Win Situation

Even with cosmetic companies advocating for "youthful longevity", the author stated females are still face criticism whether they aged gracefully or chose interventions like surgical procedures or fillers.

"If you age gracefully, commenters state more could be done; if you get procedures, you are criticized for not aging gracefully enough," she added.