Actor Kristen Stewart has acquired the Highland Theatre, a landmark cinema in Los Angeles' Highland Park neighborhood. The purchase, confirmed in Architectural Digest, aims to revive the 1925 venue as a community hub for independent film. Stewart views the project as a counter to corporate dominance in movie culture.
The Highland Theatre, which first opened its doors in 1925, served as a local staple in Highland Park until its closure in 2024. Rumors of Stewart's interest surfaced last summer when the site was prepared for a film production. In the March issue of Architectural Digest's L.A. edition, Stewart shared her enthusiasm: "I didn’t realize I was looking for a theater until this place came to my attention. Then it was like a gunshot went off and the race was on. I ran toward it with everything I had." She expressed a particular draw to aging venues, adding, "I’m fascinated by broken-down old theaters. I always want to see what mysteries they hold."
This acquisition comes amid Stewart's recent comments on shifting her filmmaking focus to Europe, where she plans to produce projects and bring them back to American audiences. "I’d like to make movies in Europe and then shove them down the throat of the American people," she remarked last week. Yet the theater buy signals her dedication to nurturing indie cinema locally.
The site has recent screen credits, appearing in Marvel Television's "Wonder Man" series and David Fincher's "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," where it stood in for Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Theatre. Stewart envisions extensive renovations to restore its ornate features while infusing fresh concepts. "It’s an opportunity to make a space to gather and scheme and dream together," she said. "We want to make it a family affair, something for the community. It’s not just for pretentious Hollywood cinephiles. I see it as an antidote to all the corporate bullshit, a place that takes movie culture away from just buying and selling."
Highland Park lacks other cinemas, though nearby areas like Eagle Rock, Silver Lake, Glendale, and Pasadena host options such as Vidiots, Vista Theater, and arthouse chains. Stewart aims for innovation: "There are so many beautiful details that need to be restored. I think there’s a way to bring the building back to life in a way that embraces its history but also brings something new to the neighborhood and something new to the whole L.A. film community. That’s the point—new ideas."
