Ladies Stand For the Oscar-Winning Actor Over Criticism Over Age Criticism

There is a groundswell of support for Oscar-winning actor Catherine Zeta-Jones following she faced disparaging remarks on social media over her appearance following a industry appearance.

She appeared at a Netflix event in LA on 9 November during which an online segment discussing her role in the latest Wednesday was overshadowed due to comments focusing on her appearance.

A Chorus of Defence

This year's Miss Great Britain Classic winner, Laura White, labelled the online criticism "absolute rubbish", adding that "men aren't given this expiration date that women do".

"Males escape this sell-by/use-by date that women do," said Laura White.

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, commented unlike men, females are subject to unfair scrutiny growing older and Zeta-Jones should be at liberty to appear in any way she chooses.

Online Reaction

Within the clip, which was also posted on Facebook and garnered more than 2.5m views, Zeta-Jones, who is from Mumbles, Swansea, discussed her enjoyment in portraying her part, the Addams Family matriarch, in the latest season.

Yet a significant number of the hundreds of comments zeroed in on her age and were disparaging towards her looks.

The negative remarks sparked a broad defence for the actor, including a widely-shared clip online which stated: "There is criticism for females if they undergo too much work done and attack them when they don't have enough."

Online users came to her defence, one stating: "It's called growing older naturally and she looks beautiful."

Others described her as "beautiful" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "she looks her age - that's called the natural process."

Making a Point

She appeared for her interview earlier with a bare face to "prove a point" and to show the absence of a "mold" of how a woman of a certain age should look like.

Like many women in her demographic, she explained she "maintains her wellbeing" not for a youthful appearance but to feel "improved" and be "in good health".

"Getting older represents a privilege and if we can live as well as possible, this is what is important," she continued.

She contended that males are not judged by the same aesthetic benchmarks, stating "nobody scrutinizes the age of certain male celebrities are - they simply appear 'great'."

She said this was part of the motivation behind her participation in Miss Great Britain's category for women over 45, to prove that females of a certain age are still here" and "still have it".

A Fundamental Problem

Hughes, a writer and commentator from Wales, commented that although Zeta-Jones was "beautiful" this is "beside the point", stating further she should be at liberty to look in any way she chooses without her age facing scrutiny.

She said the social media vitriol demonstrated not a single woman is "protected" and that females should not face the "ongoing theme" suggesting they are insufficient or of the right age - a situation that is "infuriating, regardless of the person involved".

Asked if men face equivalent judgment, she said "not at all", explaining females are attacked simply for showing "boldness" to exist online while aging.

A No-Win Situation

Regardless of cosmetic companies emphasizing "age-defiance", the author stated women were still judged if they age naturally or chose interventions like surgical procedures or injectables.

"If you age naturally, others claim you should do more; if you undergo work done, people say you trying too hard," she added.