Extinction Rebellion activist Meme Thorne acted in TV advert for Australia’s top petrol supplier Ampol

An anti-oil industry activist charged for sparking chaos after dangling over a busy city road earned thousands acting in a major petrol company’s TV commercial. Watch as she defends her decision.

Protester Meme Thorne, who brought Adelaide to a standstill, has acted in an Ampol advert highlighting the fuel supplier’s rebranding. Pictures: Brenton Edwards/Facebook/Ampol

An anti-oil industry activist who sparked widespread chaos after dangling over a busy city street earned thousands of dollars to star in a major petrol company’s television advert.

Mother-of-one Meme Caroline Thorne, 69, abseiled over Morphett Street bridge, at North Terrace’s western end near the Royal Adelaide Hospital, on Wednesday morning.

Ms Thorne, an actor from Willunga, was charged after grounding the city to a peak-hour halt during her controversial Extinction Rebellion protest.

But last year she earned $4611.07 for a starring role in a new multimedia campaign for ASX-listed petroleum company Ampol, the country’s top fuel supplier.

Speaking on Friday at her unit of 10 years, 46km south of Adelaide, Ms Thorne defended her work but admitted a “lot of” of people believe she was a hypocrite.

Asked to respond to those who accused her of hypocrisy for working with a petrol company, she replied: “They might. That’s something I’ve no control over.

“People will think what they want. I know the truth of my actions. I stand by the truth of my actions.”

Appearing alongside Nick Phillips, the partner of Fringe director Heather Croall, Ms Thorne is a hybrid car passenger in the Ampol commercial Powering Our Way Of Life.

Meme Thorne, an Extinction Rebellion activist who also appears as an actor in an Ampol ad, pictured at home on Friday. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The Melbourne studio-shot advert, which uses Fleurieu Peninsula coastline vision, has been viewed more than 2.1m times online.

Ms Thorne, who argued a new protest law crackdown was a “blight” on democracy, said she took the Ampol job after telling her agent she had done “some homework”.

She said: “I checked out their credentials. I checked out their statement about how they were transitioning. I just checked out where the money was going to.

“You could say, all right they (Ampol) were engaging in a little bit of greenwashing as well.”

Extinction Rebellion protester and actor Meme Thorne in an Ampol advert Picture: YouTube

She liked company statements about being “serious about action on climate change” and a “transition to a low carbon future”.

She was also “pleasantly surprised” about sustainable practices such as powering service stations with solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.

Ms Thorne, who lives on an aged pension alongside some carer work but earns very little money from “sporadic acting” – after a more than 40 year career – further supported its youth policies.

“I figured, obviously, we still have the need for some petrol,” she said.

Meme Thorne defended her acting job, which she said was done after conducting “homework” on the petrol company. Picture: Brett Hartwig

“My beef, as it has been with the climate activists that we’ve been wanting the government not to allow any new oil, gas or coal projects.

“I took on the job … because I could see there was a transition that was being made by Ampol.”

She spoke to executives who appeared “interested” in her Extinction Rebellion protesting.

She also congratulated chief executive Matthew Halliday and senior managers “for their commitment to a low carbon future”.

Ms Thorne is shown the video at her home in Willunga. Picture: Brett Hartwig

The company last year reported a $732m profit.

Ms Thorne, who admitted she “cops a lot of s***” about her activism, last year rejected a one-day shoot $6700 Commonwealth Bank commercial shoot because she didn’t agree with its work.

Her career has included film, TV, theatre and teaching since 1977.

The Extinction Rebellion hangs by a rope. Picture: Agnes Gichuhi

She is on $500 bail after being charged with obstructing a public place and disturbing the peace despite it being the third time she has caused “mass disruption”.

Ms Thorne, who called on Police Commissioner Grant Stevens to apologise for his public comments about the protest – which left her bruised – is due to reappear in court in July.

Ampol declined to comment.

Extinction rebellion protester Meme Thorne is arrested after disrupting Adelaide traffic by abseiling from the Morphett Street Bridge. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

Originally published as Extinction Rebellion activist Meme Thorne acted in TV advert for Australia’s top petrol supplier Ampol