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Women are rallying in defence of acclaimed star Zeta-Jones after she faced criticism on social media over her looks during a high-profile function.

Zeta-Jones attended a promotional function in LA on 9 November where an online segment featuring her part in season two of Wednesday was overshadowed by discussion concerning her looks.

Widespread Backing

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

"Men don't have such a timeline that women do," said Laura White.

Writer and commentator aged 50, Sali Hughes, stated differently from men, females are criticized as they age and the actor deserves to be at liberty to appear however she liked.

Digital Backlash

During the interview, which was also posted on Facebook and garnered over 2.5 million views, the actor, hailing from Mumbles, Swansea, spoke of how much she enjoyed exploring her character, the Addams Family matriarch, in the latest season.

However many of the numerous remarks focused on her age and were disparaging towards her looks.

The online backlash ignited a broad defence of the actor, featuring a widely-shared clip from one Facebook user which declared: "There is criticism for women for having treatments and bully them if they avoid enough work."

Others also came to her defence, one stating: "It's called aging naturally and she appears stunning."

Many labelled her as "gorgeous" and "very attractive", and one comment read that "she appears her age - that's called the natural process."

Making a Point

Ms White arrived for her interview earlier without any makeup to make a statement and to demonstrate there was no set "mold" for what a female in midlife should look like.

Similar to numerous females in her demographic, she stated she "maintains her wellbeing" not to appear younger but to feel "improved" and appear "healthy".

"Getting older represents a gift and provided we do it gracefully, that's what is important," she continued.

She contended that men aren't subject to equivalent beauty standards, noting "no-one questions the age of famous men are - they only are described as 'fantastic'."

She explained this was a key factor she entered the competition for over-45s, to prove that females of a certain age are still here" and "still have it".

The Core Issue

Hughes, an author and presenter from Wales, commented that although Zeta-Jones was "stunning" this is "irrelevant", noting she should be free to look in any way she chooses without her years facing scrutiny.

She stated the digital criticism proved that no female is "protected" and that women do not deserve the "constant narrative" suggesting they are lacking or of the right age - a problem that is "maddening, irrespective of the individual targeted".

When asked if men experience identical criticism, she said "no, never", explaining women were criticized merely for showing "boldness" to exist online as they age.

An Impossible Standard

Even with the beauty industry emphasizing "youthful longevity", Hughes said women were still criticised regardless of if they grow older without intervention or underwent treatments such as surgical procedures or injectables.

"Should you grow older without intervention, people say you should do more; when you have treatments, you are criticized for not aging gracefully enough," she concluded.