Eva Mendes appearance with Ryan Gosling sparks debate on natural aging

Ryan Gosling, 45, and his wife Eva Mendes, 52, made their first public appearance together in over a decade. Gosling and Mendes appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on March 5, ahead of the upcoming release of his latest film, Project Hail Mary. 

The actor took the opportunity to surprise Mendes with a special celebration for her 52nd birthday. Gosling first asked the audience if they would sing to Mendes, who was backstage. 

A staff member went to get an unassuming Mendes, and as she made her way to the stage, he joked, "Here's the thing, you might find me in the Hudson River tomorrow."

As soon as clips of their appearance and pictures of the couple from the show emerged online, fans started showering praises on Eva for her spectacular look.

"I miss aging naturally. I want to see beautiful people getting older! More wrinkles please," said a fan as social media users highlighted the apparent discrimination female celebrities face in the industry, with people admiring men's wrinkles and expecting women to look flawless.

Another said, "Well, the beauty standards for men vs. women are very skewed, especially in Hollywood. Men’s wrinkles are “dignified”, women’s make them look “old”. "I hate Hollywood gendered beauty standards, because they definitely create a social norm that I don’t think people would naturally believe," said another. 

Commenting on The Tonight Show's host photo with the couple, a fan said Ryan Gosling and Jimmy Fallon both seem to have done some work to their faces, unlike Eva, who shows no sign of plastic surgery.