Spilling the Tea With Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy
Written by Kate Hinchliffe
As soon as I entered the Zoom, I was greeted with an electric synergy between Maya da Costa and Myra Molloy, the two co-stars of Hayley Kiyoko’s new movie Girls like Girls. Despite being in different hotel rooms, the pair was a unit, an obvious team. We started off by chatting about where it all started: with Kiyoko’s original “Girls Like Girls” music video eleven years ago. I was curious to know where our two leading ladies were during the origins of this quite incredible story.
Kate: Let’s start at the very beginning. It’s 2015. The“ Girls Like Girls” music video just came out. Where were you guys, what was happening in your personal lives? Maya, we will start with you. If I did my math right, you were about 10 when the music video first came out. What was little Maya doing and dreaming of at 10?
Maya: Here’s what happened… so, 10 year old Maya surprisingly didn’t see the“ Girls Like Girls” music video, but this is probably what happened: Maya at 10 years old probably saw [the Girls Like Girls music video] on her recommended [page] and got gay panic and scrolled… soo, yeah. Maya at 10 was probably watching Glee, so I was basically there!
Kate: So basically one click away from the“ Girls Like Girls” music video.
Maya: Yes, exactly. I was watching Glee, I was dancing so much and living la vida loca.
Myra: Sue Sylvester, our Queen!
Kate: Myra, I read in your joint interview with Timid Magazine that you pulled a lot of inspiration from your own life in your portrayal of Sonya, specifically having grown up in the mid to late 2000s. What were you doing in 2015?
Myra: Well, I started college in Boston. I was born and raised in Bangkok, so that was the first time I was really in the states, [going on] my independence journey and finding out who I was. I was still extremely angsty and confused and fighting with my mom—love you mom, I am so sorry. But yeah, I was in Boston and just trying to figure out what to major in and [I] went to Berklee and was like: I guess we’ll find out. It was a fun [and] interesting time.
Kate: And you did songwriting at Berklee, right?
Myra: Yeah, so the lore behind that is I grew up singing. I was just like‘ I don’t really know what I want to do but all my roommates are taking songwriting and it looks pretty dope so maybe I should do songwriting?’ That’s how I fell into that.
Kate: That is so cool! And what a cool opportunity that now you are playing a character who is based off of a music video, that came about because of songwriting!
Myra: Yeah, so crazy and the easter egg of it all, which I haven’t really mentioned, is Hayley [Kiyoko, aka“ Lesbian Jesus”] let me score one of the scenes in the movie so I do have a song that I wrote and produced in the movie.
Kate: No way, you have to tell me which scene.
Myra: Well, can I say a spoiler?
Attention all Dreamworldgirls, if you have not yet seen Girls Like Girls in theaters, skip this part, go watch the film, and come back to us after because omg.
Myra: It’s actually kind of diabolical because it’s the scene where Sonya is making out with Trenton and Coley sees. So I had to watch that over, and over, and over again while scoring it and I was like:‘ God, oh God, no, this is horrifying!’ But, it was so fun to be able to flex that muscle and shoutout to Hayley for trusting me with that and allowing me to also, you know, do something that I love.
Kate: Your chemistry in the movie was electric and had me and the founder of our zine, Daphne, kicking our feet during the press screening. Take me back to that first chemistry read. What was it like when you first met?
Myra: Thank you for commenting on the chemistry because Hayley was playing cupid for real. She had a vision and she executed it to the nth degree and yeah, I was kicking my feet too. My parents were sitting next me while we were kissing and I was like:‘ ahhh! I can’t look!’ ... Maya’s really good about telling the story of how we first met on our chemistry read, so I’m gonna defer.
Maya: [laughs] Okay, I had never done a chemistry read before so I was kind of just freeballing. I was like:‘ Okay, maybe I should talk to every girl that I read this with.’
Myra: Oh yeah, there were many many Sonyas and many Coleys there.
Maya: Yeah, it was crazy and I was having small talk with all the Sonyas and then it got to Myra’s turn and I was like:‘ Heyy, do you want to talk before we do this really intimate scene?’ And she was like:‘ Honestly, let’s just do it!’
Myra: Let’s just let it rip! Let’s just see what happens!
Maya: Which is honestly the most Sonya answer that anyone could ever give! In the best way! That’s one of Sonya’s positive traits. She’s spontaneous and I love it.
Myra: [laughs] She’s insane in the membrane. She being me. But yeah, it was so fun. Honestly, I just never thought that a big studio would allow two women of color to lead a film. It’s just not really something we grew up seeing or see now. And especially queer women of color. In a relationship together. I was just like:‘ Well, there’s no way they’re gonna do that so I might as well just have a good time and lay it all out there.’ And the chemistry was chemistrying in the chemistry read. Like, we were crying, we were holding each others’ faces. It was, you know, it was definitely one of those moments where you are like:‘ Oh, wow!’ Like, I didn’t even know I was capable of that but it felt really cathartic and it felt really cool and special. But, personally, I was like:‘ There’s just no way.’
Maya: I’m just gonna jump off of that because Myra is so right. When we were both auditioning, I was like: There’s no way that they are gonna cast two women of color. I [hate] that that thought even has to go through our brains. It shouldn’t be the default for us to feel like:‘ Oh, well there’s only room for a little portion of this.’ No, it’s a very large population of the world, you know? I hope this movie abolishes that type of mindset.
Kate: I totally agree. Watching the movie, by the end, I was like this is such good representation. Such good representation for queer people, for queer women of color, but it’s also just one of those movies that everyone is going to love. You guys killed it just because of the pure talent that you have and because of how great this story is. You guys proved with this movie that you can have two women of color, you can have a queer story, and it appeal[s] to all those senses you want from a coming of age movie if not more and better. So, I am just really grateful that I was able to see it and to have this chance to sit down with you guys. You really did such an amazing job.
Myra: Aw, thank you Kate.
Maya: Thank you so much, Kate.
Kate: One of my favorite things about this movie is the casting. You are both so talented both on and off screen. Maya, you with your dancing and Myra, you with your singing. I know you have both done a lot of amazing things. Myra, I know you just had your Broadway debut, congratulations!
Myra: Bananas! And Maya was there! Maya stayed with me and came to see me and supported me on her 20th birthday! Like that’s my girl, that’s my girl! She flew there!
Kate: Guys that is so cute! Okay, Myra, [what’s your] dream musical?
Myra: Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! You are putting me on the spot! I think that my dream musical is something that doesn’t exist yet. Like I love an adaptation. My co-star, Ali [Louis Bourzgui], who just won a Tony by the way, he’s in an adaptation of The Lost Boys and I think film to stage adaptations are so cool and I would love to be apart of that. Either film to stage or stage to film. Movie musical, on my bucketlist. Lin-Manuel, I know you know who I am. I love you. Call me.
Kate: Yes and this is manifestation right here. Maya, I know you are in the new Descendants movie. I am so excited to see you in that! What else can we expect from you coming up in the future?
Maya: Okay, well, the Descendants movie I am actually dancing in it.
Kate: I was hoping!
Myra: Insane dancer.
Maya: Yeah, I have been dancing since I was 12 so that was a dance credit which is so fun.
Myra: I will just say, Maya is [also] an incredible actress and you are gonna see her do a very wide range of things in the future.
Maya: I am going to be working on something this summer that I am very excited for. I can’t say what it is or what genre but I am excited for everyone to see it.
Kate: Yay! Thank you both so so much for sitting down with me. I wish I had three hours and then some to be able to talk to you guys. You both are so amazing and have such great energy. I am so excited for both of you for what’s to come and I am so excited for everyone to see this movie. It’s genuinely my favorite movie that I have seen in a really, really long time. Dreamworldgirl Zine is all about girlhood and nostalgia and I know our supporters are going to be FED when they watch Girls Like Girls in theaters today!!!! Before we say goodbye, can I take a quick selfie of us saying hi to our dreamworldgirls?
