Kristen Stewart has officially taken on a new role: owner of a huge piece of Los Angeles movie history.
The actress confirmed in the March issue of LA Architectural compendium which has purchased the legendary Highland Theatre, a 1925 landmark located in the vibrant Highland Park neighborhood.
The venue had been a local staple for nearly a century before closing its doors in 2024, and while rumors circulated last summer about Stewart’s involvement, he has now made his commitment to the site official.
Stewart admitted that he hadn’t intentionally set out to buy a movie theater until he saw Highland, but once he did, he felt an immediate and intense pull to get it.
His interest stems from a deep curiosity about ancient places and the hidden stories they may contain.
“I’m fascinated by old ruined theaters. I always want to see what mysteries they hold,” he shared.
While theater recently appeared on screen in Marvel’s wonder man and David Fincher The Adventures of Cliff Booth where it replaced Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Theatre, it currently requires a major renovation.
Stewart’s plan is not to create an exclusive club for industry insiders, but to build a genuine community hub.
He explained that he wants to create a space for people to “plan and dream together,” calling the project a family affair.
Stewart sees the site “as an antidote to all the corporate nonsense, a place that moves film culture away from mere buying and selling.”
She thinks “there is a huge desire and longing for what this type of space can offer.”
The purchase is particularly significant because Highland Park currently has no other movie theaters, despite being packed with popular bars and restaurants.
Local movie fans usually have to travel to nearby Eagle Rock to see the Vidiots Theater or to Silver Lake to visit the Vista Theater.
While Stewart recently suggested that she might look to Europe for her future film projects, joking, “I’d like to make movies in Europe and then shove them down the American people’s throats,” this investment shows that she’s still very much invested in the Los Angeles independent scene.
she said Architectural compendium which intends to spruce up the many historic details that have fallen into disrepair, reviving the building in a way that respects its 1925 roots while also giving the neighborhood something entirely new.
For Stewart, the ultimate goal is to introduce “new ideas” to the Los Angeles film community and move away from the corporate nature of modern filmmaking.
