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Women are rallying in defence of Oscar-winning actor Zeta-Jones following she was targeted by criticism across platforms over her looks at a recent industry event.

She appeared at a promotional function in Hollywood recently where a TikTok interview discussing her role in season two of the 'Wednesday' show was overshadowed because of discussion about her looks.

Voices of Support

Laura White, 58, called the negative reaction "complete nonsense", adding that "men aren't given such a timeline that women do".

"Men are free from this sell-by/use-by date imposed on women," said Ms White.

Beauty journalist Sali Hughes, 50, stated unlike men, women were criticized as they age and the actor deserves to be free to look as she wishes.

Digital Backlash

In the video, uploaded to Facebook and garnered more than 2.5m views, Zeta-Jones, originally from Swansea, discussed the pleasure of delving into her part, the Addams Family matriarch, in the latest season.

But many of the numerous remarks centered on her age and were disparaging regarding her appearance.

The online backlash triggered widespread defence for Zeta-Jones, including a popular post from a social media user which said: "There is criticism for women for having treatments and bully them for not having enough."

Online users came to her defence, one stating: "She is ageing naturally and she looks stunning."

Others described her as "stunning" and "lovely", while someone else said that "her appearance reflects her years - that is the natural process."

Making a Point

She appeared for her interview recently makeup-free as a demonstration and to demonstrate the absence of a "template" for what a female in her 50s should look like.

As with others in her demographic, she said she "looks after herself" not for a youthful appearance but in order to feel "improved" and appear "in good health".

"Growing older is an honour and if we can age the best we can, that is what is important," she added.

She contended that males are not judged by the same aesthetic benchmarks, noting "people don't ask the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones are - they simply look 'great'."

She explained this was one of the reasons for entering the competition for over-45s, to "show that females of a certain age are still here" and "possess it".

The Core Issue

Sali Hughes, a journalist from Wales, said that while the actor is "beautiful" it was "beside the point", noting she ought to be free to appear in any way she chooses without her age facing scrutiny.

She said the digital criticism demonstrated that no female is "exempt" and that females should not face the "ongoing theme" suggesting they are insufficient or youthful enough - a problem that is "maddening, irrespective of the person involved".

When asked if men experience equivalent judgment, she responded "not at all", explaining females are criticized just for showing "audacity" to live on social media while growing older.

An Impossible Standard

Even with the wellness sector advocating for "youthful longevity", she commented females are still criticised if they age without intervention or underwent treatments such as cosmetic surgery or injectables.

"When a woman ages without intervention, others claim more could be done; if you get procedures, you're accused of not aging gracefully enough," she added.