Nearly a decade after Hayley Kiyoko dropped the song that left a lasting mark on queer pop culture, the story is getting a feature-film treatment – with Hayley herself stepping behind the camera for her directorial debut.
The film, backed by Focus Features, expands on the world first introduced in the 2015 music video, then later fleshed out in Hayley’s 2023 novel (also titled Girls Like Girls). This time, it’s heading to cinemas, with a full cast and a coming-of-age arc.
Rising actors Maya da Costa (Under the Bridge) and Myra Molloy (He’s All That, Hadestown) have been cast in the lead roles, playing Coley and Sonya – two girls navigating first love, friendship, and the awkward in-between of figuring out who you are when the world is watching a little too closely.
Hayley co-wrote the screenplay with Stefanie Scott, who starred in the original music video, keeping the story firmly rooted in its origins while allowing it to grow up. The result promises something quieter and more considered than a typical teen romance – less spectacle, more emotional honesty.
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Hayley confirmed in a recent Instagram post that the film will hit theatres on June 19 – in the US, for now – marking a rare full-circle moment in queer pop culture: a story that’s gone from a three-minute music video to a mainstream studio film without losing its point of view.
Girls Like Girls becoming a movie is exactly what we all need, and we can’t wait. Thanks Hayley, we owe you one.
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This article was written by one of our creative team writers here at Nonchalant Magazine.
