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There is a groundswell of support for acclaimed star Catherine Zeta-Jones after she encountered scrutiny on social media over her looks during a red carpet appearance.

She appeared at an industry gathering in LA last month where an online segment featuring her part in season two of Wednesday was overshadowed due to remarks concerning her appearance.

A Chorus of Defence

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, described the negative reaction "utter foolishness", adding that "men don't have this expiration date imposed on women".

"Men don't have this expiration date imposed on women," stated Ms White.

Writer and commentator Sali Hughes, 50, stated differently from men, females are subject to unfair scrutiny for ageing and the actor deserves to be able to look however she liked.

Online Reaction

During the interview, uploaded to social media and had over 2.5 million views, Zeta-Jones, originally from Wales, spoke of the pleasure of portraying her role, the Addams Family matriarch, in the new episodes.

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

This criticism ignited widespread defence of Zeta-Jones, including a viral video from one Facebook user which said: "You bully females if they undergo treatments and attack them if they avoid sufficient procedures."

Others also spoke up for her, as one put it: "She is ageing naturally and she is gorgeous."

Many labelled her as "beautiful" and "so pretty", and one comment read that "she looks her age - which is simply the natural process."

Making a Point

The winner attended on air earlier makeup-free to "prove a point" and to highlight the absence of a "template" of how a female in her 50s is supposed to look.

As with others her age, she said she "maintains her wellbeing" not to look younger but to feel "well" and look "vibrant".

"Getting older represents a gift and provided we live the best we can, that's what really matters," she added.

Ms White stated that men aren't judged by identical aesthetic benchmarks, stating "people don't ask the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones might be - they simply appear 'great'."

Ms White noted this was part of the motivation she entered the pageant's division the classic category, to "show that midlife women are still here" and "possess it".

Unfair Scrutiny

The author, a writer and commentator of Welsh origin, stated that while the actor is "stunning" it was "not the point", noting she should be free to look however she liked free from her years facing scrutiny.

She said the social media vitriol demonstrated not a single woman is "exempt" and that females should not face the "constant narrative" that they are lacking or youthful enough - an issue that is "galling, irrespective of the person involved".

When asked if men experience identical criticism, she responded "absolutely not", explaining females are criticized just for demonstrating the "audacity" to live online while aging.

A Double Bind

Regardless of the wellness sector advocating for "longevity", Hughes said females are still judged if they age without intervention or chose interventions including plastic surgery or injections.

"When a woman ages gracefully, people say more could be done; when you have procedures, you're accused of not aging gracefully enough," she remarked further.