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Females are uniting in defence of acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered disparaging remarks on social media over her looks at a recent industry event.

Zeta-Jones attended a Netflix event in Hollywood last month where an online segment discussing her part in season two of Wednesday was eclipsed due to discussion concerning her appearance.

A Chorus of Defence

Aged 58, Laura White, labelled the backlash "utter foolishness", stating that "males escape such a timeline that women do".

"Men don't have such a timeline imposed on women," said Laura White.

Beauty journalist aged 50, Sali Hughes, said unlike men, females are unfairly judged as they age and she ought to be able to look in any way she chooses.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, also shared to social media and attracted millions of views, Zeta-Jones, who is from Wales, spoke of how much she enjoyed portraying her part, the Addams Family matriarch, in the new episodes.

But a significant number of the numerous remarks zeroed in on her years and were critical about her appearance.

The negative remarks ignited widespread defence of Zeta-Jones, featuring a viral video from a social media user which declared: "You bully women for having too much work done and criticize them when they don't have enough work."

Commenters also spoke up for her, one stating: "This is ageing naturally and she is beautiful."

Some called her as "stunning" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "her appearance reflects her years - that is life."

A Statement Arrival

She appeared on air recently 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.

As with others of her years, she stated she "looks after herself" not to appear younger but to feel "better" and look "healthy".

"Growing older is an honour and if we can age gracefully, that's what really matters," she stated further.

She contended that males are not held to identical appearance ideals, adding "people don't ask the age of certain male celebrities might be - they simply are described as 'fantastic'."

She said that became a key factor behind her participation in the pageant's division for women over 45, to prove that women in midlife are still here" and "possess it".

Unfair Scrutiny

Hughes, an author and presenter from Wales, stated that although Zeta-Jones was "beautiful" it was "beside the point", noting she ought to be at liberty to look however she liked absent her age coming under examination.

She said the online abuse proved no woman was "immune" and that females should not face the "ongoing theme" that they are lacking or of the right age - a situation that is "infuriating, irrespective of the person involved".

When asked if men experience identical criticism, she responded "no, never", explaining females are criticized merely for showing "boldness" to exist on the internet as they age.

A Double Bind

Despite cosmetic companies advocating for "longevity", the author stated women were still criticised regardless of if they grow older naturally or chose interventions such as cosmetic surgery or fillers.

"When a woman ages gracefully, commenters state more could be done; when you have treatments, you're accused of failing to age well," she remarked further.