WATCH: A queer pop anthem becomes the next coming-of-age classic in Hayley Kiyoko’s film Girls Like Girls
The journey from viral pop song to best-selling novel to the big screen has been over a decade in the making.
Mark
Many of the most beloved queer movies of all time are based on books. From Brokeback Mountain to Carol to Call Me By Your Name, many of the big-screen’s most timeless gay love stories got their start on the page.
But how many LGBTQ+ classics can say they’re based on books based on pop songs?
How about we take this to the next level?
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That’s the rare case with Girls Like Girls, a new queer coming-of-age tale adapted from the 2023 debut novel by Hayley Kiyoko, itself adapted from the pop star’s 2015 single (and corresponding music video) of the same name. And it just so happens to be directed by—you guessed it!—Hayley Kiyoko.
The actress and singer-songwriter came out as a lesbian in ’15 in tandem with the anthemic track’s release. At the time, she told US Weekly, “I loved the idea of how all these guys always are stealing other guys’ girls and I was like, ‘There’s no female anthem for a girl stealing another guy’s girl,'” so she went ahead and made one.
The single’s visuals brought a story to that idea, following suburban teen friends Coley and Sonya as they realize they have deeper feelings for each other, despite the fact that the latter has a boyfriend.
Thanks especially to Tumblr, the clip went incredibly viral in an era when the idea of online virality was still pretty new, and currently sits at 161 million views on YouTube.
“The success of that video and the community it led me to changed everything,” Kiyoko shared with Queerty earlier this year. “It showed me how powerful it is to live your truth, even when you’re still figuring it out. That lesson has stayed with me ever since.”
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So, a few years later, Kiyoko fleshed out the story further into her #1 New York Times best-seller book, which kept the young characters and their central relationship intact while expanding their world to delve deeper into what draws Coley and Sonya together, against the odds.
Now, the multi-hyphenate adds two more credits to her bio, screenwriter and filmmaker, with her feature directorial debut Girls Like Girls (co-written by her Jem And The Holograms co-star Stefani Scott, who also appeared in the original “Girls Like Girls” video).
Like the novel, the film centers on new-girl-in-town Coley (Under The Bridge‘s Maya Da Costa), who has moved to suburban Oregon to live with her father (Scrubs‘ Zach Braff) after her mother’s sudden passing.
Doing her best to live with the pain, Coley finds a bright spot in her growing friendship with pretty, popular girl Sonya (He’s All That‘s Myra Molloy) who welcomes the newcomer into her friend group, which includes her on-again, off-again boyfriend Trenton (Levon Hawke, son of Ethan Hawke & Uma Thurman).
Still, there’s an immediate connection between the two girls that neither can ignore, and as they spend more & more time together, their relationship evolves into something new and exciting. As Coley falls in love for the first time—with all the highs & lows that entails—she’s also learning to love herself along the way.
“This movie feels like the culmination of my life’s work, like I’m stepping into a new and really exciting chapter,” Kiyoko previously shared with us. Directing my first feature taught me so much about patience and trust…. Trying to get this movie made for almost a decade was a huge reminder to never give up on yourself or your dreams.”
And now that dream has (almost) been realized, with Girls Like Girls set to hit theaters nationwide on June 19—perfect timing for Pride Month!—courtesy of Focus Features.
Check out the brand-new trailer for the film below, scored by an especially cinematic version of the eponymous song:
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