Hayley Kiyoko on the power of representation in her debut film 'Girls Like Girls'
Hayley Kiyoko's new film "Girls Like Girls" is finally here.
The new film, which marks Kiyoko's directorial debut, has evolved from a song of the same name that she released in 2015 and a book of the same name that she published in 2023.
Kiyoko, who has called the film a love letter to her younger self, said that the story was inspired by her own experiences, saying in an interview with ABC News Digital, "I wish I had believed in a hopeful future for myself when I was younger."
"I felt I lacked that representation just in media whether it was TV, film and books and so I really do hope 'Girls Like Girls' is a reminder to anyone of every generation that we all deserve to be loved by ourselves," she added.
"Girls Like Girls" is a heartfelt queer coming-of-age story set over the course of one transformative summer. The film follows Coley, a teenage girl who moves in with her father after the death of her mother.
As she navigates her grief and searches for a sense of belonging, Coley forms an instant connection with Sonya, a popular girl who quickly becomes her closest friend. As their bond deepens into romance, Sonya grapples with her fear of judgment and uncertainty about embracing her true self.
Through a summer marked by first love, heartbreak and self-discovery, Coley learns to recognize her own worth and the kind of love she deserves.
Playing Coley and Sonya are Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy, respectively. The duo said that what resonated with them about Kiyoko's story was that feeling of first love.
"Although it is magical, it can be incredibly volatile if you're not loving yourself," da Costa said. "I think seeing Coley go through that made that part of me that dealt with that when I was younger feel a little bit less lonely."
Molloy added that she saw herself in both Coley and Sonya, and said what resonated with her about the story was how it could be hard to navigate different emotions when you're young.
"That's what happens when you're young," she said. "It's messy, it's raw, it's beautiful and you learn and you fall in love."
When it came to casting Coley and Sonya, Kiyoko said that there were 4,000 auditions for the film. Kiyoko said that Da Costa's audition tape was one of the first she saw and said that her performance unlocked her own memory of being in her crush's bedroom.
Molloy initially auditioned for Coley but Kiyoko brought her back to play Sonya. Da Costa and Molloy did a chemistry read and Kiyoko was taken by their performance telling ABC News Digital, "They brought so much to life."
Kiyoko recalled telling her lead stars, "I told them this is a huge part of my story, but this is their story and now this is everyone else's story."
Da Costa and Molloy said that Kiyoko's direction and guidance during production provided a space for the both of them to authentically portray Coley and Sonya's relationship.
"It was just so beautiful," Molloy said. "I think the team Hayley had around all of us and just everyone was so wonderful."
When asked about what she hopes audiences take away from her film, Kiyoko said she hope that people "will be able to see themselves through the eyes of Coley, through the eyes of Sonya, navigating hardships of life and love and hopefully healing certain parts of ourselves that we've maybe abandoned."
"Girls Like Girls" is out in theaters now.
