THE APEX TIMES
Hayley Kiyoko to Make Directorial Debut With Feature ‘Girls Like Girls’
In an interview published June 19, the singer and producer said her first film as a director is driven by a story she describes as personally meaningful.
Hayley Kiyoko will make her feature-film directorial debut with Girls Like Girls, according to an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published June 19. Kiyoko, 35, framed the project as her entry into Hollywood directing while also tying the work to themes she has long associated with her public music career.
In the interview, Kiyoko said she is “happy to break the glass ceiling” with the debut, using the phrase to describe the significance of moving behind the camera. The reporting describes her as having already established herself as a queer music icon, with Girls Like Girls presented as her “grand entrance” into filmmaking.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that Girls Like Girls will be centered on a story Kiyoko says she holds near and dear to her heart. The interview positions the directorial role as more than a career milestone, with Kiyoko describing personal motivation for taking on a feature-length project as a first-time director.
The article does not provide additional production particulars in the excerpt presented, such as a release date, distributor, filming timeline, or casting announcements. As a result, the verified public information supported here is limited to the project’s existence, Kiyoko’s role as director, and her stated rationale for pursuing the film.
For audiences, the project indicates a continued expansion of mainstream film participation by artists who first built public platforms in music, particularly those associated with queer communities. For industry watchers, Kiyoko’s move to direct a feature adds another example of artists seeking creative control and narrative authorship through leadership roles in film development and production.
Beyond its creative ambitions, a directorial debut can carry practical implications for production planning, budgets, and marketing strategy, especially when a creator aims to translate a distinctive personal sensibility into a feature film. However, the June 19 report does not include figures or other business terms, so those aspects cannot be confirmed from the available material.
The next publicly observable steps will depend on future announcements about Girls Like Girls, including production status and release plans. Until additional reporting or official materials are released, details beyond Kiyoko’s directorial debut and her stated connection to the story are not confirmed by the June 19 interview.
Why It Matters
- Kiyoko’s move into feature directing represents an expansion of creative leadership by a mainstream queer music figure into narrative filmmaking.
- A creator-led debut can affect how a studio or production team approaches story development and audience positioning, particularly for LGBTQ themes, though specific business terms were not provided in the June 19 report.
- The project’s next milestones, such as official production updates and release planning, will determine how quickly the film reaches theaters or streaming platforms.
- For fans and community audiences, the announcement adds visibility to queer storytelling through mainstream film production, with further details needed to understand the scope of the story.
Key Facts
- Hayley Kiyoko, 35, is directing her first feature film, titled Girls Like Girls, The Hollywood Reporter reported in an interview published June 19, 2026.
- Kiyoko described the project as her “grand entrance” into Hollywood directing and said she is “happy to break the glass ceiling.”
- The Hollywood Reporter described Kiyoko as having already established herself as a queer music icon before the directing debut.
- The interview states Girls Like Girls is centered on a story Kiyoko says she holds near and dear to her heart.
- The June 19 report, as provided here, does not include confirmed release dates, casting, production dates, or distribution details.