[This story contains spoilers for Girls Like Girls.]
Hayley Kiyoko has achieved one thing very distinctive. She took her 2015 hit tune “Girls Like Girls” and turned it into an expansive universe that includes a music video, novel and now a function movie.
Although the 35-year-old received her begin with roles in Disney Channel’s Lemonade Mouth and the Scooby-Doo! live-action movies, she didn’t wait lengthy earlier than turning her full consideration to music. She used her lyrics as a instrument for self-expression and therapeutic, resulting in her private coming-out anthem “Girls Like Girls,” which established her as a serious power within the music business.
Quick ahead, and he or she has continued to share her revolutionary story throughout a number of mediums to achieve as many individuals as attainable. Whereas the lengthy journey has seen loads of hurdles, it’s additionally been extraordinarily rewarding for Kiyoko. “I’m not religious, but there was something in my body that was propelling me forward. And every time I wanted to give up and every time I was like, ‘I don’t think this is going to happen or come to fruition,’ my body was like, ‘But you have to do this,’” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “It was just like, ‘If it’s not you, then who?’”
The Focus Options movie Ladies Like Ladies is a coming-of-age story that follows Coley (Maya da Costa), a grieving teen who strikes to a small Oregon city to stay together with her estranged dad, Curtis (Zach Braff). It’s there that she sparks romantic emotions with a charismatic lady named Sonya (Myra Molloy).
“I really believed that this movie — I’m sure I have more to share — but I do believe that this movie is a huge part of my purpose and a huge part of just helping others on their journey of self-love and self-discovery,” Kiyoko provides.
Beneath, she will get candid concerning the 10-year-long journey to carry Ladies Like Ladies to the large display screen, why extra coming-of-age LGBTQ tales are wanted, the movie’s casting course of, writing an album for the movie, her different directing ambitions and extra.
Having received your begin in appearing after which transitioning to music, the place did that spark for the humanities first start?
I knew that I used to be completely different from lots of people so far as hiding my sexuality at a really, very younger age. We’re speaking like 6 years outdated. So my complete upbringing was hiding and carrying this enormous weight and secret. So I discovered music, and music was like my approach of having the ability to talk my fact even when I wasn’t being trustworthy with myself. I used to be nonetheless writing he/him pronouns in my journals, but it surely was an outlet for me to precise myself. And I believe that that’s actually the place the inception got here from. I began on the drums; I began writing music at a really younger age and I bear in mind seeing NSYNC in live performance and them acting on stage. I used to be like, how do I try this? I need to do one thing like that.
You’ve directed a number of of your individual music movies earlier than, so what made you then need to direct your first function movie?
Once I co-directed Ladies Like Ladies in 2015, I used to be like, “Oh my gosh, I’ve always been a director. This is what I want to do forever.” And I directed the following 11 music movies for myself and initially began out of necessity as a result of I needed to create hopeful queer content material. After which I used to be like, “Oh my gosh, how do I make Girls Like Girls into a movie? Because I would die to see a film like this.” And so started the 10-year journey of making an attempt to determine it out, writing the script, looking for financing for it, a distributor, all these issues. After which right here we’re in 2026, a pair weeks away from the film premiere in theaters, which is so mind-boggling to me that we did it.
Kiyoko working behind the scenes on Ladies Like Ladies with Molloy.
Everett Assortment
This movie has actually been 10 years within the making, first with the tune and music video, then together with your 2023 novel and now the film. What does that imply for you because the thoughts and creator behind the story?
It’s been actually impactful and likewise difficult since you’re continually eager to outdo your self and also you’re continually making an attempt to get nearer to the reality. And the tune, I used to be manifesting being assured in who I used to be. After which the music video, I wasn’t in it. After which the guide, I made the lead half-Japanese and I went approach deeper into the story. After which within the film, I used to be in a position to forged two Asian leads within the movie and let that be illustration for therefore many individuals which can be so deserving. So I actually have a look at this journey of getting nearer and celebrating my genuine self and never making an attempt to alter who I’m and simply embracing who I’m. … And this can be a very distinctive state of affairs the place I’ve had my hand in each single medium, and it’s been so rewarding as a result of each time I’m opening a door to a brand new medium.
Speak to me about casting your Coley and Sonya, and while you knew Maya and Myra have been excellent for the roles? Additionally, how did you get Zach Braff signed on to the undertaking?
We had over 4,000 submissions for this movie, and Maya was truly the very first audition tape I had watched. And there was a second on the finish of the tape the place she was simply sitting in Sonya’s bed room and he or she was simply taking in her crush’s area, and it took me proper again to that second the place you’re in another person’s room and it’s tremendous susceptible and also you don’t know what to do together with your physique. And I used to be identical to, “Oh my gosh, this is going to be the girl to beat.”
After which Myra, she truly auditioned for Coley, and in her audition tape, she rotated and gave a glance and I used to be like, “Oh my gosh, she is not Coley. She’s a Sonya.” And we introduced her again to learn for Sonya for a chemistry learn. And Sonya’s character is a very laborious character to tackle as a result of she is verbally saying issues that harm, however she is just not a horrible individual. So I believe Mrya did a very stunning job navigating that character’s complexities of being messy and being younger and figuring it out.
And Zach, discuss manifestation. I’ve had a number of actually attention-grabbing manifestation tales on this complete journey, however I’ve had Backyard State on my temper board for a really very long time as a result of I used to be so impressed by the soundtrack and the affect that it made on me once I was youthful. So once we have been searching for a dad, we despatched the script to Zach Braff and he was obsessive about it. He met with me. He’s a fellow Aries. His directorial debut was Backyard State, so he understands the stress and the hardship of being a first-time director. And I simply was so grateful for him.
Da Costa and Molloy in Ladies Like Ladies.
Everett Assortment
You additionally make slightly cameo within the movie, so was that all the time deliberate or sort of a last-minute determination?
It was on the finish of the shoot, and I simply was like, “I guess let me just try to throw myself in here for a second and see if it makes the cut.” I’m in there for actually a second, however I used to be like, “You know what? It has been a 10-year journey. I might as well say hi.” (Laughs.)
This movie jogs my memory of how a lot I beloved all of the coming-of-age reveals and films rising up, and how formative that point in our lives is. However you then understand there aren’t many LGBTQ coming-of-age movies that younger folks can join with, particularly with two ladies leads. So do you are feeling honored to be one of many first to carry this story to the large display screen?
I really feel like we must always have extra, however I’m tremendous honored. This story was pioneered by the followers and I felt so alone earlier than releasing Ladies Like Ladies the music video. So to have everybody elevate their hand to be like, “I also feel the same way,” or “I also have had this similar experience,” has actually introduced me a number of group and assist that I didn’t have actually rising up. So I’m tremendous appreciative and grateful that I get to carry this story to the large display screen and attempt to make change and attempt to break the glass ceiling on this medium, after which hopefully it’ll be slightly simpler for the following story and for different folks to shine as effectively.
However that is the film of my goals. That is the film that I want I had rising up and although this film known as Ladies Like Ladies, whoever you like, everybody has needed to confront somebody and ask them in the event that they like them again and the place this relationship goes. There’s all the time that pivotal breaking second the place you progress ahead otherwise you break up, and I believe that humanizes and brings us all collectively. Whether or not you’re 16 or 45 or 60, I actually imagine that this story and watching Ladies Like Ladies will take you again to that second, that one individual that you simply by no means fairly received a solution again from.
Kiyoko
Grace Scuitto
What was the explanation behind together with that candy second between Coley and Sonya within the post-credits?
There have been a number of causes for actually every little thing. I imply, I had over 20 scenes that aren’t within the film anymore, but it surely was so necessary for me to see Coley and Sonya be collectively and I felt just like the post-credit scene, there have been a number of discussions on how the movie ought to finish, and with out spoiling it an excessive amount of, the top is all concerning the women. I actually needed to be like, “This is about them and highlight that.”
Your music can be an enormous a part of the film, releasing a complete album with the movie. Are you able to discuss combining your love for music and movie into one undertaking?
It’s very uncommon to have a directorial debut alternative, so once I received this opportunity, I used to be like, “We’re not only just doing a movie, we’re doing an album. We’re going as big as we can go.” So I accomplished the film after which I jumped into the studio and wrote a bunch of songs by means of the lens of the 2 characters. And since that is an indie-ish movie, there was a tune that I needed — it’s a Mandy Moore tune — that we couldn’t afford or license. So I went into my outdated music concepts and I had this concept I had began once I was 16 and determined to complete it for the movie. After which the opposite songs on the album are impressed by tracks. So you possibly can go watch the film after which go take heed to the album after which be like, “Oh my gosh, ‘Choker,’ that song is from that one scene.”
And all the queer artists on the album — Younger Miko, Tegan and Sara, Gigi Perez, Chelsea Cutler — they’ve all been impacted by Ladies Like Ladies in some unspecified time in the future. And they also have been 100% down to leap in and be part of this cultural second for our group, so I’m tremendous grateful for them.
Having directed your first function, what are your different directing ambitions? Do you have already got extra tales you need to inform?
I’ve my second guide, The place There’s Room for Us, that I’d love to inform as like a film or a TV present. … I imply, it’s been a 10-year journey, so I’ve a ton of different tales and concepts that I’d like to share, however your first is your first, and my dream in life is to simply proceed to direct and write music for these initiatives and I’d be very completely satisfied if I may try this for the remainder of my life.
It’s been a number of years because you stepped away from appearing. Do you ever see your self returning to the entrance of the digital camera?
Not a 0.5-second cameo? (Laughs.)
Possibly slightly longer?
I beloved appearing, however my focus is directing and getting tales advised. I really feel like that’s the greatest use of my power and time. But when the suitable position got here up, possibly down the road. However I’m grateful for individuals who acknowledge me from Lemonade Mouth, and it’s been a very attention-grabbing parallel too as a result of that character was like, “Be heard, be strong, be proud.” And he or she was preventing for what was proper and making an attempt to interrupt the glass ceiling in her personal proper. And so it’s been attention-grabbing to even have my very own journey as effectively and see myself slightly bit in that character.
When you needed to describe what makes Hayley Kiyoko, Hayley Kiyoko, what would you say?
That I like to strive new issues. I believe my motivation is I like to do one thing new. I by no means love to do the identical factor twice. And so right here I’m, books, music, motion pictures (Laughs). I don’t know what else is subsequent.
