Los Angeles, Jun 25 (IANS): The decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its historic Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision in its 50th year, has been greeted with widespread criticism from American celebrities.

Voicing the majority view in the entertainment industry, pop star Taylor Swift tweeted: "I'm absolutely terrified that this is where we are -- that after so many decades of people fighting for women's rights to their own bodies, today's decision has stripped us of that."

In a detailed response, cookery show host and author Padma Lakshmi said: "People will still get abortions. These procedures won't stop just because Roe v. Wade is overturned. This will only prevent safe, legal abortions from taking place."

She added: "The right to decide when to start a family or not is a choice every individual should be able to make on their terms when the time is right for them. This freedom and dignity is something we should all fight to preserve.

"I wish more people understood that the decision to have an abortion is deeply personal and complex. It's a decision that should be treated with compassion and empathy, not vilified or criminalised."

Thundered multiple award-winning actress Ariana DeBose: "Yeah, ain't NOBODY telling me what I can & can't do with my body. Ain't nobody telling me who I get to love or marry for that matter. America ... you're in for the fight of your life."

Oscar-winning actress Patricia Arquette was equally unequivocal. She said: "This Supreme Court is an absolute disaster. From giving people the right to carry guns to taking away women's rights of autonomy over their own bodies. We weren't being reactive, we saw it coming."

But the last word certainly belonged to the best-selling author Stephen King. He tweeted: "It's the best Supreme Court the 19th century has yet produced."