For the past decade, Hayley Kiyoko has been fighting for a story the industry didn't want to tell. In 2015, she released her sapphic anthem "Girls Like Girls"—a viral song and music video depicting two teenage girls falling for each other in the face of violent homophobia and set against a suburban backdrop. (The song had such an impact that Kiyoko’s fanbase eventually started affectionately referring to her as “Lesbian Jesus.”) Despite being told it would never happen, the now 35-year-old singer-songwriter has been trying to bring “Girls Like Girls” to the big screen as a feature film ever since.
“A lot of my creativity has been birthed through necessity," Kiyoko tells W. "I learned how to write a novel because the film wasn't getting made." That novel, also titled Girls Like Girls and released in 2023, became a number-one bestseller. Now, Kiyoko is finally releasing the full-length film version of Girls Like Girls, which lands in theaters today and marks her feature directorial debut.
Stefanie Scott, who starred in the original video, co-wrote the screenplay, and newcomers Maya de Costa and Myra Molloy were cast in the lead roles of Coley and Sonya, respectively. In anticipation of the film, fans have been sharing photos on TikTok of themselves in 2015 and today—including Kiyoko’s fiancée, Becca Tilley, who juxtaposed a photo from the pair’s recent engagement next to one from her time as a contestant on The Bachelor.
“Even though I really didn't like how long it took to make this a reality, I'm grateful because it's allowed me to be a part of people's lives—in many iterations of their lives,” Kiyoko says. “Hopefully, this film can unlock parts of people who have been abandoned or left behind, and can resonate with other generations to not have to run from who they truly are.”
Below, Kiyoko speaks with W about betting on herself, building a world from scratch, and what it means to finally let Girls Like Girls go:
What was different about directing the film from self-directing your music videos?
Music videos prepare you for losing locations, creating art with very few resources, and finding passionate people to support your art. Indie filmmaking is very similar. You have to find people who believe in the story beyond themselves.
Maya Da Costa, Myra Molloy and Hayley Kiyoko on the Girls Like Girls set
How did you go about casting Maya da Costa as Coley?
We had 4,000 auditions sent in, and the first audition I watched, I’m not even joking you, was Maya’s audition tape. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s so awkward and normal and grounded and perfect.’ It was definitely taking a chance on young talent. It was fulfilling to give someone who looks like me an opportunity to see themselves as a main character.
What were your visual references to capture a 2006 teenage girlhood during a summer in rural Oregon?
Every time I made a mood board, it reminded me why this movie needed to get made. It is so hard to find images of a story that has never been told before. All the references are heteronormative narratives or gay men. There’s very little love stories to pull from. And when you look at those boards, there’s a limited amount of POC women at the forefront.
What was it like to be constantly betting on yourself?
I’ve always felt like an underdog. You have to convince yourself that you can do anything, even if you’ve never done it before, and it’s scary. Sometimes there are so many no's, people really make you believe it's not possible. So many people would say, You're not going to be able to cast two up-and-coming actors. Why do we need a film like this? It's 2026, nobody needs this representation. We've moved on. And then I'm asking, name ten movies you've seen in theaters that represent this story.
The film was shot in Kelowna, Canada, where you have a personal relationship through your grandparents. Do you believe in divine timing, and what was the experience of shooting in a place so close to your childhood memories?
I now do. My grandparents are buried there. I took my first baby steps there. We shot this movie four streets away from my grandparents' old house. This whole journey has been accepting and honoring not only my sexuality, but also how I present. I'm half Japanese, and I was never white enough. I was never Asian enough. So to then shoot this film and have two Asian leads, have my grandparents as angels above in this place I didn't even choose, it was an incredible out-of-body experience.
The novel and single have helped so many young girls come to terms with their sexuality. How has that influenced your creative decisions?
I always have to remember that the most authentic truth I ever shared was the most powerful, which was “Girls Like Girls” in 2015. It allowed me to be free. That goes back to pride, it goes back to showing up in theaters, it sends a message to all of these baby gays. The signal that was sent to me was from millions of strangers, going, Hey, I feel that way too.
What was the experience of re-recording “Girls Like Girls” for the film, but with an orchestra?
When I recorded the song again, I was worried, Is my voice gonna sound different? Is it gonna have the same magic? When I recorded [the song] originally in my parents' garage, I was not out, I was scared to be myself, I was still on my journey of self-love and discovery, and now that's preserved. And then this version, it's preserved my engaged, healthy, loving relationship. It's preserved a person who loves being called a lesbian and is proud to be a lesbian, so it's very emotional to do that. Having this song turn into my sapphic James Bond moment was incredibly special.
How are you processing the film being released into the world?
It's like having a kid for ten years and saying you're off, you're off to college. I've been in my own orbit of Girls Like Girls for so many years. I've had to protect it at all costs, I've had to fight for this, and now I can finally let it go, surrender, and give it to the people that need it most.
