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Females are uniting for Oscar-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones following she encountered disparaging remarks online regarding her looks following a high-profile appearance.

The actor was present at an industry gathering in Hollywood recently during which an online segment featuring her part in season two of the 'Wednesday' show became dominated due to remarks about her looks.

Voices of Support

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, described the backlash "complete nonsense", adding that "men aren't given this sell-by/use-by date which women face".

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

Writer and commentator Sali Hughes, 50, said differently from men, women were unfairly judged for ageing and the actor deserves to be free to appear however she liked.

The Social Media Storm

In the video, also shared to social media and attracted over 2.5 million views, Zeta-Jones, who is from Wales, spoke of her enjoyment in exploring her part, Morticia Addams, in season two.

But many of the online responses zeroed in on her age and were disparaging towards her appearance.

This criticism triggered significant support of the actor, such as a popular post online which stated: "You bully females when they get treatments and bully them if they avoid enough."

Online users rallied in support, as one put it: "It's called aging naturally and she appears beautiful."

Others described her as "stunning" and "so pretty", with another adding that "she appears her age - that is life."

Challenging Perceptions

She appeared for her interview earlier makeup-free to "prove a point" and to highlight there was no set "blueprint" for what a woman in midlife should look like.

Like many women in her demographic, she stated she "maintains her wellbeing" not for a youthful appearance but to feel "better" and look "healthy".

"Getting older represents a gift and provided we do it as well as possible, this is what truly counts," she continued.

Ms White stated that males are not held to equivalent beauty standards, noting "people don't ask how old famous men are - they only look 'wonderful'."

She said it was part of the motivation behind her participation in the pageant's division for women over 45, to "show that females of a certain age remain relevant" and "still have it".

Unfair Scrutiny

The author, a writer and commentator of Welsh origin, said that although the actor is "beautiful" this is "beside the point", noting she should be able to look as she wishes without her age coming under examination.

Hughes argued the online abuse proved no woman was "protected" and that it is unfair for women to endure the "constant narrative" which says they are insufficient or of the right age - a situation that is "galling, regardless of the individual targeted".

When asked if men face identical criticism, she answered "absolutely not", explaining females are criticized merely for showing "audacity" to live online while aging.

A Double Bind

Regardless of the wellness sector emphasizing "youthful longevity", Hughes said women were still judged if they age gracefully or chose interventions like plastic surgery or injectables.

"If you age gracefully, others claim you should do more; when you have treatments, you are criticized for failing to age well," she remarked further.