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Females are uniting in defence of Oscar-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered disparaging remarks across platforms over her looks during a high-profile appearance.

Zeta-Jones attended a promotional function in LA recently where an online segment about her character in the new series of Wednesday was overshadowed by comments about her appearance.

Voices of Support

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, described the negative reaction "absolute rubbish", noting that "men aren't given such a timeline which women face".

"Males escape such a timeline which women face," stated Laura White.

Beauty journalist aged 50, Sali Hughes, said in contrast to men, females are unfairly judged as they age and the actor deserves to be able to appear as she wishes.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, also shared to social media and garnered millions of views, the actor, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, spoke of her enjoyment in portraying her character, Morticia Addams, in the latest season.

But many of the online responses zeroed in on her age and were critical regarding her appearance.

The online backlash sparked significant support for the actor, including a widely-shared clip from one Facebook user which declared: "You bully females for having treatments and bully them when they don't have enough."

Others also came to her defence, as one put it: "She is aging naturally and she is beautiful."

Others described her as "stunning" and "very attractive", with another adding that "she appears her age - that's called life."

Challenging Perceptions

Ms White arrived on air recently without any makeup as a demonstration and to highlight that there is no fixed "template" for what a woman in midlife should look like.

Like many women her age, she explained she "maintains her wellbeing" not for a youthful appearance but to feel "better" and look "vibrant".

"Getting older represents a gift and provided we do it the best we can, that is what really matters," she stated further.

She argued that men aren't judged by the same appearance ideals, adding "nobody scrutinizes the age of famous men might be - they only look 'wonderful'."

She said it was part of the motivation for entering Miss Great Britain's category for over-45s, to "show that females of a certain age remain relevant" and "possess it".

The Core Issue

The author, a journalist of Welsh origin, stated that although Zeta-Jones was "gorgeous" this is "not the point", adding she should be free to appear however she liked absent her age coming under examination.

She stated the online abuse demonstrated no woman was "immune" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "perpetual story" suggesting they are lacking or young enough - a problem that is "galling, no matter the person involved".

Asked if men face the same scrutiny, she responded "absolutely not", explaining women were criticized merely for showing "nerve" to exist on the internet as they age.

An Impossible Standard

Even with cosmetic companies emphasizing "longevity", the author stated women were still face criticism if they age without intervention or opted for procedures like surgical procedures or injections.

"Should you grow older naturally, others claim more could be done; if you undergo treatments, you're accused of failing to age well," she remarked further.