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There is a groundswell of support in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered disparaging remarks on social media regarding her appearance at a recent industry event.

She appeared at an industry gathering in Hollywood recently where an online segment discussing her part in season two of the 'Wednesday' show became dominated by remarks about her age.

A Chorus of Defence

Aged 58, Laura White, called the backlash "utter foolishness", noting that "men don't have such a timeline which women face".

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

Author Sali Hughes, 50, commented unlike men, females are criticized for ageing and the actor deserves to be at liberty to look as she wishes.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, also shared to Facebook and attracted millions of views, the actor, originally from Mumbles, Swansea, spoke of how much she enjoyed exploring her role, the Addams Family matriarch, in the latest season.

But a large portion of the online responses centered on her age and were critical about her appearance.

The negative remarks ignited a broad defence of the actor, featuring a popular post from one Facebook user which declared: "There is criticism for females if they undergo treatments and bully them when they don't have enough."

Others also rallied in support, with one writing: "This is ageing naturally and she looks beautiful."

Others described her as "gorgeous" and "so pretty", while someone else said that "she looks her age - that's called the natural process."

Challenging Perceptions

The winner attended on air recently without any makeup to "prove a point" and to highlight there was no set "mold" of how a female in midlife is supposed to look.

Like many women her age, she explained she "takes care of herself" not to appear younger but so she feels "well" and appear "vibrant".

"Getting older represents an honour and provided we age gracefully, that is what really matters," she continued.

She argued that males are not held to the same appearance ideals, stating "people don't ask the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones are - they just look 'wonderful'."

She said it was a key factor behind her participation in Miss Great Britain's category the classic category, to "show that women in midlife remain relevant" and "retain their appeal".

The Core Issue

The author, a journalist from Wales, said that although the actor is "stunning" it was "irrelevant", stating further she deserves to be able to appear in any way she chooses absent her age being scrutinised.

She stated the social media vitriol demonstrated not a single woman is "protected" and that women do not deserve the "ongoing theme" suggesting they are insufficient or of the right age - an issue that is "infuriating, irrespective of who the victim is".

Asked if men experience equivalent judgment, she answered "not at all", noting females are targeted just for demonstrating the "audacity" to exist on the internet as they age.

A No-Win Situation

Despite the wellness sector emphasizing "longevity", Hughes said females are still judged if they age naturally or chose interventions such as surgical procedures or fillers.

"When a woman ages naturally, others claim more could be done; if you undergo procedures, people say you trying too hard," she added.