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There is a groundswell of support in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones after she encountered criticism online regarding her appearance following a red carpet function.

Zeta-Jones attended an industry gathering in LA recently during which a social media clip discussing her character in season two of the 'Wednesday' show became dominated due to comments concerning her appearance.

Voices of Support

Laura White, 58, called the online criticism "absolute rubbish", adding that "men don't have this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women".

"Males escape such a timeline that women do," argued Laura White.

Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, said unlike men, females are subject to unfair scrutiny growing older and the actor deserves to be able to look as she wishes.

Online Reaction

During the interview, uploaded to Facebook and garnered millions of views, the actor, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, talked about her enjoyment in exploring her character, Morticia Addams, in the new episodes.

Yet a large portion of the hundreds of comments zeroed in on her age and were negative towards her looks.

This criticism sparked significant support for Zeta-Jones, including a widely-shared clip from one Facebook user which declared: "People criticize females if they undergo cosmetic procedures and criticize them when they don't have enough work."

Others also rallied in support, as one put it: "It's called aging naturally and she appears beautiful."

Many labelled her as "beautiful" and "very attractive", while someone else said that "she looks her age - that's called reality."

A Statement Arrival

The winner attended on air earlier makeup-free to "prove a point" and to highlight that there is no fixed "mold" for what a woman in her 50s is supposed to look.

Like many women in her demographic, she said she "looks after herself" not to appear younger but in order to feel "well" and look "healthy".

"Growing older is an honour and if we can live as well as possible, that's what truly counts," she continued.

She argued that males are not judged by equivalent aesthetic benchmarks, noting "nobody scrutinizes the age of famous men are - they only are described as 'wonderful'."

She explained this was one of the reasons behind her participation in the pageant's division for women over 45, to prove that females of a certain age remain relevant" and "still have it".

Unfair Scrutiny

Hughes, an author and presenter from Wales, commented that although the actor is "gorgeous" that is "not the point", noting she ought to be able to look as she wishes absent her age coming under examination.

Hughes argued the social media vitriol demonstrated no woman was "protected" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "perpetual story" which says they are lacking or youthful enough - a problem that is "maddening, no matter who the victim is".

Asked if males encounter equivalent judgment, she answered "no, never", noting females are criticized simply for having the "nerve" to be present on social media while growing older.

An Impossible Standard

Despite cosmetic companies advocating for "longevity", she commented females are still face criticism regardless of if they grow older without intervention or underwent treatments such as plastic surgery or injections.

"When a woman ages naturally, people say more could be done; when you have procedures, you are criticized for not aging gracefully enough," she remarked further.