New York Times bestseller 'Stargirl' comes to Disney+

LOS ANGELES -- "Stargirl" from Disney+ is a tender and offbeat coming-of-age story based on the critically acclaimed, New York Times' best-selling young adult novel about an unassuming high schooler who finds himself inexplicably drawn to the free-spirited new girl whose unconventional ways change how they see themselves...and their world.

Leo Borlock (Graham Verchere) is an average student at Mica High School. He gets decent grades, is a member of the school's marching band and has always been content flying under the radar. But all that changes when he meets Stargirl Caraway (Grace VanderWaal), a confident and colorful new student with a penchant for the ukulele who stands out in a crowd.

"She is brave to just be who she wants to be and show[s] up, even though she's in a room where everyone else just wants to follow the status quo," actor Karan Brar said.

Stargirl is kind, finds magic in the mundane and touches the lives of others with the simplest of gestures. Her eccentricities and infectious personality charm Leo and the student body, and she quickly goes from being ignored and ridiculed to accepted and praised, then back again, sending Leo on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

VanderWaal hopes that audiences take away this important lesson from the film: "Making other people happy will never make you happy...Your happiness and security has to always stay within."

A celebration of individuality, kindness and the power of the human spirit, "Stargirl" is directed by Julia Hart from a screenplay by Kristin Hahn, Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz based on the novel by Jerry Spinelli. The film stars singer/songwriter VanderWaal in her film debut, Graham Verchere, Karan Brar, Maximiliano Hernandez, Darby Stanchfield and Giancarlo Esposito.

"Stargirl" is available for streaming exclusively on Disney+ starting March 13.