Girls Like Girls gives Thai star Myra Molloy a Hollywood lead
A decade after Girls Like Girls became a viral sapphic anthem, its 2026 film adaptation highlights creative persistence, representation and a Hollywood breakthrough for Thai actress Maneepat “Myra” Molloy.
- Thai-American actress Myra Molloy will star in a leading role as Sonya in the Hollywood film adaptation of Hayley Kiyoko's viral music video, "Girls Like Girls."
- The role is a significant career milestone for the Bangkok-raised star, who previously won Thailand's Got Talent and became the first Thai actress to lead a Broadway production.
- Molloy's casting is part of the director's intentional choice to feature two mixed-Asian actresses in the lead roles to increase visibility for Asian talent in Hollywood.
- Beyond acting, Molloy also contributed to the film's soundtrack by co-writing and producing an original song.
Back in 2015, the music video for Girls Like Girls by Hayley Kiyoko became a cultural phenomenon, widely celebrated as a “sapphic anthem”. What many did not realise at the time was that the short depiction of teenage love would take a decade of persistence and creative struggle before eventually evolving into a full-length feature film released in 2026.
The film adaptation of Girls Like Girls stars Canadian actress Maya da Costa, who is of Portuguese and Vietnamese descent, as Coley, a teenage girl coping with the loss of her mother as she moves to a new town. She appears alongside Thai-American actress Maneepat “Myra” Molloy as Sonya, the school’s charismatic popular girl.
The director intentionally cast two mixed-Asian leads to strengthen on-screen representation and widen visibility for Asian talent in Hollywood.
From viral music video to feature film
The journey began with the original 2015 music video, co-directed by Kiyoko and Austin S Winchell, which portrayed a tender yet challenging romance between two teenage girls navigating homophobia and emotional turbulence. Its impact was immediate, resonating strongly online and earning Kiyoko the affectionate fan title “Lesbian Jesus”.
Despite the video’s success, expanding the story into a film proved far more difficult. Kiyoko faced repeated rejections within the film industry, with some questioning whether such a narrative was still necessary in modern cinema.
She later revealed that the lack of progress pushed her towards writing fiction instead. Her determination eventually paid off when the Girls Like Girls novel, published in 2023, became a bestseller.
Myra Molloy’s full-circle moment
For Molloy, the film represents both a personal and professional full-circle moment. Born and raised in Bangkok, she first discovered the original music video as a teenager 11 years ago, admiring Kiyoko as an inspiration.
A decade later, she received an unexpected audition invitation for the film adaptation of the very story she had once watched as a fan.
Although she initially auditioned for the role of Coley, the director saw something distinctive in her performance and instead cast her as Sonya, the school’s popular girl.
The role marks a significant step in her career following earlier achievements, including winning Thailand’s Got Talent Season 1 at just 13 and becoming the first Thai actress to lead a Broadway production in Hadestown.
Breaking Hollywood barriers
Molloy has spoken openly about how, during her twenties, she assumed Hollywood would limit her to supporting roles because of her background. However, the project challenged that expectation. Kiyoko’s commitment to representation ensured that both lead roles were written and cast with mixed-Asian actresses, creating space for visibility at a global level.
Beyond acting, Molloy also contributed creatively to the film’s soundtrack, co-writing and producing the original song “Lakeside”, further embedding her artistic voice into the project.
Ultimately, Girls Like Girls stands not only as a long-awaited adaptation of a viral cultural moment, but also as a testament to ten years of persistence, representation and artistic conviction.
It marks a significant milestone in breaking industry barriers and demonstrates how Thai talent can shine on the Hollywood stage with confidence, presence and global appeal.
