The life story of automobile entrepreneur Elizabeth Carmichael sounds so outrageous that one would think someone wrote a Hollywood script for a fictional movie. It is true. And real life is stranger than fiction.

In the HBO Documentaries series The Lady and the Dale, the four-part documentary details the life of 1970s transgender entrepreneur Elizabeth Carmichael. The journey starts with her con-man days born as Jerry Dean Michael. Her life path takes her towards the automobile theoretical evolution with the three-wheeled Dale that would change the car industry forever. However, her criminal past catches up eventually catches up with her somehow.

Independent producers Andre Gaines and Allen Bain teamed up with Nick Cammilleri to bring the project to life.

Here’s the official synopsis:

HBO Documentary Films’ The Lady and the Dale, a four-part documentary series from Emmy-winning producers Mark and Jay Duplass and directed by Nick Cammilleri and Zackary Drucker, traces the audacious story of Elizabeth Carmichael, a larger-than-life entrepreneur who rose to prominence during the 1970s oil crisis with her promotion of a fuel-efficient, three-wheeled car known as The Dale. At a time when three big American automobile manufacturers ruled the road, Liz launched a futurist vehicle that promised to get 70 miles to the gallon.

Her promotional zeal thrust her into fierce public and media scrutiny which uncovered a web of mystery and suspicion about the car’s technology and her own checkered past. The Lady and the Dale is a probing exploration of family and identity.

ALSO CHECK OUT: A Conversation With Filmmaker Thomas Keith About His Documentary Bullied [Exclusive Interview]

LRM Online’s Gig Patta spoke with executive producer Andre Gaines on the Elizabeth Carmichael story and how to tell this unusual story in a four-part documentary.

Andre Gaines is a Los Angeles-based producer, writer, director, and founder of Cinemation Studios. Over the 15 years, he produced more than twelve documentary and narrative feature films. Other upcoming productions include the documentary series Stateless with Blumhouse TV, Children of the Corn remake, Buzzed starring Jeremy Renner and Keira Knightley, and the animated feature The Immortal Warrior starring Rodrigo Santoro.

The Lady and the Dale debut with back-to-back episodes on HBO last month on January 31. New episodes launch on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Also, the series is available for streaming on HBO Max.

Watch the exclusive interview below. Let us know what you think.

Source: LRM Online Exclusive, Cinemation