Bevan Chuang said Princess of Chaos "is a fictional adaptation of one part of my life story, from my perspective". Photo / Greg Bowker
Bevan Chuang said Princess of Chaos "is a fictional adaptation of one part of my life story, from my perspective". Photo / Greg Bowker
It was the affair that stunned a city - and now a new TV dramedy on the sordid saga that sullied Len's Brown Auckland mayoralty will screen - but only after the local body elections.
The $2.6 million publicly funded telefeature, Princess of Chaos, captures former mayor Brown's salacious affair with ex-council adviser Bevan Chuang and will screen on TVNZ.
A source who's seen the show says the infamous sex scene in Auckland Council's Ngāti Whātua boardroom does feature, though it's not portrayed in a "graphic way".
Brown's former mistress made headlines in 2013 when she outed her two-year affair with him. The scandal broke days into his second term after his successful re-election campaign.
At the time, Chuang told the Herald she felt pressured to disclose the affair by a member of his right-wing rival John Palino's election team. She later regretted going public.
Chuang was also romantically involved with Luigi Wewege, a member of Palino's campaign team, who wanted to expose the mayor's infidelity when he found out about the affair.
Brown told the Herald on Sunday he was aware of the telefeature but not "what was in it" and wouldn't be drawn on sex in the Ngāti Whātua boardroom or whether he would watch Princess of Chaos with his wife, Shan Inglis.
"I really don't know a lot about the film and I'm not sure if I want to have much in the way of a discussion about it with you," Brown said.
News of the affair broke days into Len Brown's second term as Auckland mayor. Photo / Dean Purcell
Highly acclaimed actor and director Michael Hurst says he loved playing the part of Brown but was also tight-lipped about the sex scene- where Brown and Chuang were caught out having sex in the boardroom by a security guard.
"Hand on heart I have no idea when this goes to air and I haven't seen it. I loved the role, I had a great time shooting it, the script was great. But sorry you can't draw it [the sex scene] out of me."
Hurst said the movie was filmed last year and he's forgotten the names of the actors cast for the roles of Bevan Chuang, Luigi Wewege and John Palino.
Princess of Chaos is the story of a political scandal as told from the perspective of the "other woman, Bevan Chaung," NZ on Air said when announcing the funding.
Chuang has previously said, "It was a story of at least five men and a woman. And none of them came to my rescue when I needed them ... and all of them wanted something."
She declined to comment but posted on Instagram: "Healthy disclaimer: this is a fictional adaptation of one part of my life story, from my perspective.
"It isn't a documentary or an accurate historical depiction of the events.
"And no one is getting rich out of this production. Please leave your abusive posts to yourself, your toxic circle of friends and followers, and get a life instead."
Wewege didn't respond to a request for comment.
Palino lives in Orlando and is hoping to be Auckland's next mayor. He says he has public support for his campaign but regrets not being in New Zealand.
The father-of-two says he has been busy with his coffee kiosk business.
He doesn't know much about the dramedy but told the Herald on Sunday one of his friends turned down the role to play him.
"He said 'I can't do that'. Apparently, it's a fictitious story based on her real life so does that mean she can make everything up? I hope Bevan tells the truth," Palino said.
Palino is no longer in touch with Wewege or Chuang and regrets having them on his team.
"We never knew she was having an affair with Len Brown; she just told us he was harassing her and sending her texts and she wanted it to stop. Think about this why would I let someone work on my team who was having an affair with the opponent, that would be stupid. Wewege dated Bevan previously but you're not going to date someone who is fooling around with the mayor, it's disgusting. I was advised to throw Luigi under the bus but I didn't. So, when this blew up it looked like we knew more but we didn't. It's not fair Bevan made me look the way she did."
Luigi Wewege was involved in breaking the news of Len Brown's extramarital affair with Bevan Chuang. Photo / Doug Sherring
Princess of Chaos was produced by Flat3, the all-women production team that received huge accolades with their black comedy, Creamerie. A TVNZ spokesperson said: "We aren't able to confirm scheduling details this far in advance of broadcast. Cast announcements will be made closer to the time of the screening."
A source who has seen Princess of Chaos was full of praise for the 90-minute dramedy, which also delves into Chuang's Asian upbringing and her fraught relationship with her mother.
"The producers and directors have done a great job with it. The storyline is much more than 'the affair' - it is comedic and heartbreaking. The lead actress is very good. You feel for her and you feel for women like her who have been used by everyone. Yes, she had the affair with Len Brown but she was in love with Luigi Wewege who comes out looking bad."
The Ngāti Whātua room in the Auckland Town Hall, where then-Mayor Len Brown was caught having sex with Bevan Chuang. Photo / Greg Bowker
The source said the sex scene in the Ngāti Whātua boardroom isn't "graphic" and Brown wasn't portrayed as "sleazy".
"The story ends with hope. I initially felt sorry for Bevan but in the end I thought, 'you've come full circle, you know who you are,'. It doesn't paint her in a bad light at all," the source said.
At the time of the scandal, Chuang was working as a junior council adviser and was a member of the Ethnic People's Advisory Panel. In 2012 she made public her desire to give birth to a child born in the Chinese year of the Dragon and has since become a clairvoyant.
