Yael Stone: Australian actor in court after painting mural at Illawarra beach

The star of a popular Netflix series has landed in court after protesting against climate change.

An Aussie Netflix star has landed herself in the hands of the law after painting a mural on council property as part of her climate change activism.

Actor Yael Stone, star of Netflix series Orange is the New Black, faced Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, where a charge of destroy or damage property was dismissed after she pleaded guilty.

The court heard police found Stone and three men painting the mural of mother Earth at Thirroul Pool on the night of July 16.

Yael Stone at Wollongong Local Court on June 29.

The charges against Yael Stone were dismissed by a magistrate.

When police arrived, Stone told them they “didn’t actually have permits” to paint the mural, but that they “had a meeting with 250 residents and they wanted us to paint the mural”.

Stone’s defence lawyer Cate Doosey told the court her client did not know that painting the mural was “criminal behaviour”.

“It is a mark of Ms Stone’s character that when she was struggling to act on the despair and panic a large number of people felt (about climate change) she did so by attempting to add beauty,” Ms Doosey said.

“The work was done with professional artists, rather than angry protests it was an attempt to raise awareness.”

The mother Earth mural painted at Thirroul pool. Picture: Wollongong City Council

Ms Doosey said Stone had “genuine remorse” for her actions and had diverted all her activism to work with Wollongong Council rather than against it.

Acknowledging Ms Doosey’s request for leniency, Magistrate Gabirel Flemming agreed to dismiss the charges without conviction, telling her “whatever expression” Stone wanted to make needed to be done inside the law.

Last year, Stone, who is known for her activism, made the decision to give up her US green card, that allows non-citizens to live and work in the country – to advocate for climate action in Australia.

Stone shot to fame playing inmate Lorna Morello in the hugely popular series across the show’s seven seasons, however, she wanted to move back to Australia permanently to reduce her carbon footprint.