Climate change protestor Meme Thorne who caused traffic chaos in Adelaide starred in Ampol petrol ad

An actress who caused a bustling CBD commuter to grind to a halt during a climate change protest has been found to have made thousands starring in an ad for major gasoline producer Ampol.

Meme Thorne, 69, abseiled from a bridge over North Terrace near the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Wednesday morning as part of an anti-oil and gas rally.

But she was charged with hypocrisy after it was discovered she was paid $4,611.07 last year for her role in the TV ad promoting the petroleum giant.

In the TV ad, Mrs. Thorne can be seen sitting in a hybrid vehicle with actor Nick Phillips in the “powering our way of life” ad.

She played a passenger who donned her glasses and held out a reassuring arm to the actor as he drove in the ad.

The mother of a child was charged after hanging on the Morphett Street bridge for 90 minutes to stop cars and trams during the morning rush hour.

Ms Thorne played a passenger donning her glasses (pictured) and extending a reassuring arm to a driver in the ad

Others involved in the Extinction Rebellion protest chanted and held up signs reading “no new coal, oil or gas” and “quit fossil fuels now.”

But then it came to light that Ms Thorne took part in a multimedia campaign last year for ASX-listed petrol company Ampol – Australia’s largest fuel supplier.

She was asked Friday if she thought she was practicing double standards by taking a job from a heavyweight in the gasoline industry.

The resident of Willunga told the Adelaide advertiser people ‘might’ think she’s hypocritical, but added she ‘had no control over’ [it]people will think what they want’.

“I know the truth of my actions, I stand by it [them]’ said Mrs Thorne.

She added that she had researched Ampol before taking on the acting job and was “pleasantly surprised” by the plan to “move to sustainable practices.”

Ms Thorne said the company ‘ensuring all their filling stations are solar powered and have EV charging points in all their stations’.

She claimed she spoke to company executives who seemed “interested” in ER protests and congratulated CEO Matthew Halliday on Ampol’s commitment to a low-carbon future.

The company reported earnings of $732 million last year.

The TV, film and theater actor was charged with obstructing a public place and disturbing public order and is out on $500 bail.

She hung on the Morphett Street bridge for 90 minutes, stopping cars and streetcars during the morning rush (pictured, the traffic chaos)

Ms Thorne (pictured at her arrest on Wednesday) said people ‘might’ think she’s a hypocrite, but added she had no control over it, ‘people will think what they want’

The TV ad features Mrs. Thorne sitting in a hybrid vehicle with actor Nick Phillips in the ‘powering our way of life’ ad (pictured)

Ms Thorne (pictured) was charged with obstructing a public place and disturbing the peace

She claimed she spoke to Ampol executives who seemed “interested” in the Extinction Rebellion protests and congratulated CEO Matthew Halliday on Ampol’s commitment to a low-carbon future

The ER group objected to the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) conference at the nearby Adelaide Convention Center on Wednesday.

It is the third time that the actor has caused a massive disruption.

“My problem – as it has been with the climate activists -[is]that we don’t want the government to allow any new oil, gas or coal projects,” she said.

Mrs. Thorne does not earn much money in the acting business, but survives on an old age pension and also does caretaker work.

Ampol was contacted by Daily Mail Australia for comment.