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Females are uniting behind Oscar-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones after she faced scrutiny across platforms regarding her looks following a high-profile function.

The actor was present at an industry gathering in LA last month where an online segment discussing her role in the latest the 'Wednesday' show was overshadowed due to remarks focusing on her looks.

Voices of Support

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, described the online criticism "complete nonsense", noting that "men aren't given such a timeline which women face".

"Men are free from this sell-by/use-by date that women do," said the pageant winner.

Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, stated in contrast to men, women were criticized growing older and Zeta-Jones should be at liberty to look as she wishes.

The Social Media Storm

Within the clip, which was also posted on social media and attracted more than 2.5m views, Zeta-Jones, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, discussed her enjoyment in delving into her character, Morticia Addams, in the latest season.

Yet many of the hundreds of comments focused on her years and were critical towards her appearance.

This criticism triggered a broad defence of Zeta-Jones, including a widely-shared clip online which said: "People criticize women if they undergo cosmetic procedures and criticize them if they avoid sufficient procedures."

Others also spoke up for her, with one writing: "It's called aging naturally and she looks gorgeous."

Some called her as "gorgeous" and "lovely", with another adding that "she looks her age - that's called life."

Challenging Perceptions

She appeared at the studio earlier without any makeup to "prove a point" and to show there was no set "blueprint" for what a woman in her 50s should look like.

Similar to numerous females of her years, she explained she "looks after herself" not for a youthful appearance but so she feels "better" and be "in good health".

"Getting older represents a gift and when we live as well as possible, this is what truly counts," she added.

Ms White stated that men aren't subject to equivalent aesthetic benchmarks, adding "no-one questions how old certain male celebrities might be - they simply are described as 'great'."

Ms White noted this was part of the motivation she entered Miss Great Britain's category the classic category, in order to demonstrate that women in midlife are still here" and "possess it".

A Fundamental Problem

Sali Hughes, a writer and commentator of Welsh origin, stated that although the actor is "beautiful" it was "irrelevant", noting she deserves to be at liberty to look in any way she chooses absent her years facing scrutiny.

She stated the social media vitriol proved that no female is "protected" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "ongoing theme" suggesting they are lacking or young enough - an issue that is "galling, irrespective of the individual targeted".

Asked if men face identical criticism, she said "no, never", explaining females are attacked merely for having the "nerve" to live on the internet while aging.

A No-Win Situation

Even with the wellness sector promoting "age-defiance", she commented women were still judged whether they aged gracefully or underwent treatments like cosmetic surgery or fillers.

"Should you grow older without intervention, people say you ought to try harder; if you undergo treatments, you are criticized for failing to age well," she concluded.