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There is a groundswell of support in defence of Oscar-winning actor Zeta-Jones after she faced scrutiny across platforms about her appearance following a high-profile function.

Zeta-Jones attended a Netflix event in LA on 9 November during which a TikTok interview discussing her character in the new series of Wednesday became dominated due to comments about her looks.

Widespread Backing

Aged 58, Laura White, labelled the backlash "complete nonsense", stating that "males escape this expiration date which women face".

"Men don't have such a timeline which women face," said Laura White.

Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, said in contrast to men, women were subject to unfair scrutiny growing older and she ought to be free to look as she wishes.

Digital Backlash

Within the clip, uploaded to social media and had over 2.5 million views, the actor, hailing from Mumbles, Swansea, spoke of the pleasure of portraying her character, Morticia Addams, in the new episodes.

However a large portion of the online responses focused on her age and were disparaging about her appearance.

The negative remarks triggered significant support for Zeta-Jones, such as a popular post from a social media user which declared: "You bully women if they undergo too much work done and bully them for not having enough work."

Others also rallied in support, one stating: "She is aging naturally and she is beautiful."

Some called her as "gorgeous" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "her appearance reflects her years - which is simply life."

Making a Point

Ms White arrived on air recently with a bare face as a demonstration and to demonstrate that there is no fixed "blueprint" of how a woman in her 50s is supposed to look.

Similar to numerous females in her demographic, she explained she "takes care of herself" not for a youthful appearance but so she feels "well" and appear "vibrant".

"Ageing is a gift and provided we do it gracefully, that is what truly counts," she continued.

She argued that men aren't subject to equivalent beauty standards, noting "nobody scrutinizes the age of Tom Cruise, George Clooney or Tom Jones might be - they just appear 'great'."

Ms White noted this was a key factor for entering Miss Great Britain's category for over-45s, to prove that females of a certain age continue to exist" and "possess it".

The Core Issue

The author, a writer and commentator from Wales, commented that while Zeta-Jones was "beautiful" this is "not the point", adding she should be free to look however she liked without her years facing scrutiny.

She stated the social media vitriol showed no woman was "exempt" and that females should not face the "perpetual story" that they are insufficient or youthful enough - a problem that is "galling, regardless of the individual targeted".

When asked if men experience the same scrutiny, she said "not at all", noting women were attacked just for showing "audacity" to be present on social media while growing older.

An Impossible Standard

Despite cosmetic companies emphasizing "youthful longevity", the author stated women were still judged whether they aged without intervention or underwent treatments such as cosmetic surgery or injectables.

"When a woman ages without intervention, commenters state more could be done; if you undergo work done, people say you trying too hard," she added.