Hayley Kiyoko will make her directorial debut with an adaptation of her own book (itself based on her hit single), Girls Like Girls.
One of Hayley Kiyoko’s first starring roles was as Velma in a series of straight to DVD Scooby Doo films from 2009 to 2011. She also had a very successful stint on the Disney Channel, appearing in Wizards Of Waverly Place and playing one of the main characters in arguably one of the best Disney Channel Original Movies, Lemonade Mouth, in which she also sang and played guitar. This led to Kiyoko releasing several albums, and that builds us towards this particular story.
One of the most successful singles was Girls Like Girls. The music video went viral in 2015, it depicted a friendship between two girls that developed into romance. She then adapted the story of the song into a young adult novel, which was published in 2023.
According to Deadline, Kiyoko is adapting the story into a film for Focus Features. She will direct from a script she co-wrote with Stefanie Scott, who starred in the original music video.
Read more: The salary negotiation that killed Scooby Doo 3
The synopsis of the book reads as follows:
It’s summertime and 17-year-old Coley is alone, again. Forced to move to middle of nowhere Oregon after losing her mother, she is in no position to risk her already fragile heart. But when she meets Sonya, the attraction is immediate.Coley worries she isn’t worthy of love. Up until now, everyone she’s loved has left her. And Sonya’s never been with a girl before. What if by opening her heart, Coley’s risking it all?
No casting has been confirmed. Girls Like Girls will be produced by Marc Platt, Katie McNicol, Adam Siegel and Dee Best for Marc Platt Productions, as well as Michael Philip, Jason Moring, and BuzzFeed Studios’ Richard Alan Reid.
The piece of filmed entertainment will go into production next year. We’ll keep you updated as we hear more.
