Jasmine Guy addresses body-shaming comments: 'The internet can be brutal to women'
American actress Jasmine Guy has responded to people who criticised her appearance in the 2026 Netflix sequel of 'A Different World'.
"The internet can be brutal to women as they grow older." These are the words of American actress Jasmine Guy, who recently took to social media to address naysayers who criticised her appearance.
The actress, who became famous for playing Whitley Gilbert in the hit sitcom 'A Different World', recently made a comeback in the Netflix revival. The original sitcom aired from 1987 until 1993, and Guy is now returning to the role at 64.
Following the release of the new series on 24 September, social media users criticised the actress for how she looks today compared to her younger years.
After the backlash, Jasmine shared a video of herself on Instagram, dressed in a stunning olive dress while opening up about the realities of ageing and the need for people to be kinder online.
She said the internet is brutal because, “it asks us to celebrate life while criticising every sign that we’ve lived it.”
She added that people should understand that growth comes with change. "Growing older brings change, and I won’t pretend every change is easy," she said.
Ending her post, Guy said: “Beauty, style and joy do not have an expiration date. Let’s spend less time judging ourselves and each other, and more time loving each other, making memories, and living the life we’re here to live."
The comment comes as several celebrities continue to face public scrutiny over their appearances.
The latest South African celebrity to deal with criticism is Tyla. Scores of X users spoke about her look at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), criticising her for her weight gain. Tyla has not responded to the negative comments.
Other celebrities who have dealt with body-shamming comments include Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Lizzo.
Earlier this year, Brandy urged fans to show more kindness and compassion after she was body-shammed.
"Before you speak about someone’s body, before you speak about someone's face, before you decide who they are by what you see, remember, you are looking at someone’s child. Someone's friend. Someone's dream. Someone's life. A soul. And souls have always been more beautiful than surfaces," she wrote on Instagram.
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