Gina Rinehartâ€™s rich father called her what?

Sam Neill as Lang Hancock, Mandy McElhinney as Gina Rinehart and Peta Sergeant as Rose Hancock. The drama event: House of Hancock. Courtesy: Channel Nine

Did she watch? ... It's unlikely Gina Rinehart watched the TV drama House of Hancock. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Channel 9

VIEWERS across Australia have been given a glimpse into the life Gina Rinehart led with her father Lang Honcock in Nine's House of Hancock.

But it's highly unlikely that Gina Rinehart actually tuned in. Who would want to see some of their family's worst moments re-enacted?

But viewers were left feeling sorry for Gina, ash light-hearted jokes were made about her weight throughout the show.

The two-part miniseries opens with Rose (Peta Sergeant) singing a gloriously cringe-worthy version of Pat Benetar's Love Is a Battlefield. Sergeant's Rose was bawdy, theatrical and uncannily like Rose Porteous herself.

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Sympathy ... The TV drama almost makes you feel sorry for Rinehart. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

The drama takes us back to the early years of mining magnate Gina Rinehart (Mandy McElhinney), joining her beloved father out in his beloved Pilbara mines. Learning the lie of the land from Lang, Gina is portrayed as an innocent young thing, eager to please a difficult dad.

Not above cheating in tennis, Lang could only be described as an old coot. He gives Gina a hard time about her weight, and cruelly tells her that no one could love her for herself. He whinges about 'eco-nut greenies', and takes grim satisfaction in blowing up the vast red landscape.

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House Of Hancock ... stars Sam Neill as Lang Hancock and Peta Sergeant as Rose Hancock. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

House of Hancock glosses over Rinehart's first marriage to Englishman Greg Milton (who later changed his name to Hayward), and was the father of John and Bianca. Instead it concentrates on her romance with much-older man — and possible father substitute — Frank Rinehart. The dashing American mining lawyer swept her off her feet, but worries that he is too old for her, that his heart might give out.

Preparation ... To play Gina, Mandy McElhinney combined make-up, prosthetics and padding. She worked hard to sound like the mining giant. Picture: Channel 9 Source: Channel 9

"That's OK," Gina says, in one of the series' lighter moments. "I might get fat. I like to eat."

Somewhat disturbingly, their honeymoon sex scenes (already an icky image) were spliced with images of her mother dying.

Enter Rose, a scene-stealer if ever there was one, snapping up Lang only months after his wife's death. She's a screamer — squawking over clothes, jewels and a flashy new house — who revels in the transition from housekeeper to lover when Lang "sacks" her.

"You might have to sack me all afternoon," she purrs.

Gina's eating is an in-joke through the series, as she visits her father bearing biscuits and cakes, but Lang uses it to taunt her.

Did she get it right? ... Was Mandy McElhinney believing as Gina? Picture: Channel 9 Source: Supplied

"You're a slothful, vindictive, devious baby elephant," he sneers. If this series is going to elicit sympathy for Australia's richest woman, this was the moment.

Twitter users didn't hold back in having their say on the TV drama as it unfolded.

To play Gina, McElhinney combined make-up, prosthetics and padding. She worked hard to sound like the well spoken mining giant, whose heft belies a delicate bearing.