Kristen Stewart ventured beyond acting to become a director. Now she's venturing beyond directing to become a theater owner. In an interview with Architectural Digest, Stewart explains that she bought the historic and dilapidated Highland Theatre in Los Angeles, a 1925 movie palace and former vaudeville venue. She aims to restore it into what she describes as a new kind of communal film space. "I see it as an antidote to all the corporate bull----, a place that takes movie culture away from just buying and selling," she says. "I think there's a huge desire and craving for what this kind of space can offer."
Stewart, a 35-year-old lifelong Angelino, aims to keep the historic feel of the place intact, and the Digest suggests that will take a "herculean effort" given how rundown it is. Eventually, Stewart envisions the Highland as a gathering place for "scheming and dreaming," a hub for new ideas that go beyond the local film community. The building, which closed in 2024, has three stories, which she sees as ideal for hosting public events. Stewart connects the theater effort to her wider concerns about the city, particularly homelessness.
The Los Angeles Times notes that Stewart is not the first celeb to scoop up an old movie house in the area. A coalition led by Juno director Jason Reitman bought the 93-year-old Village Theater in Westwood in 2024, and Quentin Tarantino bought the Vista in 2021. The Vista and the Highland were both designed by renowned architect Lewis Arthur Smith.
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