Women Rally In Support of the Oscar-Winning Actor Over Criticism Over Age Comments

Females are uniting for acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones following she was targeted by disparaging remarks on social media about her appearance during a high-profile function.

The actor was present at an industry gathering in LA recently where a social media clip featuring her character in season two of the 'Wednesday' show was overshadowed because of discussion about her looks.

A Chorus of Defence

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, called the backlash "utter foolishness", stating that "men aren't given such a timeline which women face".

"Men are free from this expiration date that women do," said Laura White.

Author Sali Hughes, 50, stated differently from men, women were unfairly judged as they age and Zeta-Jones should be at liberty to look as she wishes.

Online Reaction

In the video, which was also posted on social media and garnered millions of views, the actor, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, spoke of her enjoyment in portraying her part, the Addams Family matriarch, in the latest season.

But many of the online responses centered on her years and were disparaging regarding her looks.

The negative remarks sparked a broad defence for the actor, including a popular post online which said: "People criticize women if they undergo too much work done and criticize them if they avoid enough."

Online users spoke up for her, with one writing: "This is aging naturally and she looks beautiful."

Many labelled her as "beautiful" and "very attractive", while someone else said that "she appears her age - which is simply reality."

Challenging Perceptions

She appeared for her interview earlier with a bare face to "prove a point" and to highlight there was no set "mold" of how a female of a certain age is supposed to look.

As with others of her years, she stated she "looks after herself" not to look younger but so she feels "better" and be "vibrant".

"Ageing is a gift and when we do it gracefully, this is what truly counts," she stated further.

She contended that males are not judged by identical beauty standards, stating "nobody scrutinizes the age of certain male celebrities might be - they only appear 'great'."

She said it was a key factor behind her participation in the pageant's division the classic category, to "show that women in midlife continue to exist" and "possess it".

The Core Issue

Sali Hughes, a writer and commentator from Wales, stated that although Zeta-Jones was "gorgeous" it was "beside the point", adding she ought to be free to appear as she wishes absent her years coming under examination.

Hughes argued the online abuse proved that no female is "protected" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "perpetual story" that they are lacking or young enough - a problem that is "galling, no matter who the victim is".

Asked if men experience identical criticism, she answered "no, never", adding females are targeted just for showing "audacity" to live online while growing older.

An Impossible Standard

Even with cosmetic companies advocating for "youthful longevity", she commented females are still judged if they age naturally or underwent treatments such as surgical procedures or injectables.

"When a woman ages gracefully, people say you ought to try harder; when you have procedures, people say you failing to age well," she remarked further.