Kristen Stewart buys Highland Park movie theater in Los Angeles
- - Kristen Stewart buys Highland Park movie theater in Los Angeles
Monica Garske, USA TODAYFebruary 7, 2026 at 9:26 AM
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Kristen Stewart buys Highland Park movie theater in Los Angeles
Oscar‑nominated actor and director Kristen Stewart has bought the Highland Theatre, the 1920s Los Angeles cinema that closed in 2024, with plans to bring it back to life for the neighborhood.
In an Architectural Digest feature, the “Spencer” actress said that buying the once-Highland Park movie palace and now-dilapidated space just felt right.
“I ran toward it with everything I had,” Stewart told Architectural Digest. “I’m fascinated by broken-down old theaters. I always want to see what mysteries they hold.”
Stewart said she hopes to turn the theater into a space for the community, and “not just for pretentious Hollywood cinephiles.”
“It’s an opportunity to make a space to gather and scheme and dream together,” she added.
Where is the Highland Theatre?
The Highland Theatre is at 5604 N. Figueroa St. in Los Angeles’ Highland Park neighborhood.
The history of the Highland Theatre
The Highland Theatre was designed by prominent Southern California architect Lewis Arthur Smith, the mastermind behind dozens of L.A.-area theaters, including the famed Vista, El Portal, Brooklyn Theatre, and the Rialto.
The Highland was built in 1924 and opened to the public in early March 1925, with a screening of “Lady of the Night.” In addition to films, the stage was used as a live performance space for vaudeville acts.
Over the decades, the Highland’s ownership switched hands many times.
In 1991, the theater was designated Los Angele Historic-Cultural Monument No. 549.
As with many entertainment venues in California, the theater shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic and struggled to recover after reopening in 2021. It permanently closed in late February 2024, just shy of its centennial.
Where it goes under Stewart’s watch remains to be seen, but she told Architectural Digest that she hopes to restore the space and “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 LA film community.
Hollywood stepped out on the first big red carpet of the new year at the Palm Springs International Film Awards in California on Jan. 3, 2025, starting with "Sentimental Value" star Renate Reinsve.
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Hollywood stepped out on the first big red carpet of the new year at the Palm Springs International Film Awards in California on Jan. 3, 2025, starting with "Sentimental Value" star Renate Reinsve.
">Hollywood stepped out on the first big red carpet of the new year at the Palm Springs International Film Awards in California on Jan. 3, 2025, starting with "Sentimental Value" star Renate Reinsve.
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Renate Reinsve
">Renate Reinsve
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Kate Hudson
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Kate Hudson and filmmaker Josh Safdie
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Miley Cyrus
">Miley Cyrus
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" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/1A4O29wKlpV04VE.qXrs8g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD05MTg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/c19310dc498ad4ed97250c8e711894af class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Miley Cyrus makes her entrance.
">Miley Cyrus makes her entrance.
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Amanda Seyfried
">Amanda Seyfried
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Amanda Seyfried
">Amanda Seyfried
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Vl91hJmb6LFY7iXXx5Fn.w--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMDUy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/b2cf3611b1245e408057ff69bd19600e class=caas-img>Elle Fanning
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Elle Fanning
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Elle Fanning interacts with fans.
">Elle Fanning interacts with fans.
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" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/eDUq6c_40675pPYqNfSGCQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/487c0945e681a47d9fb878363ab8319e class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Teyana Taylor
">Teyana Taylor
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" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/gWzoQSAHB5FLUFrM1ucNew--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04NTM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f52b7ca9919e8d9711ca2d5e930ce1f1 class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Teyana Taylor, right, acknowledges fans as she enters the awards.
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" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/gWzoQSAHB5FLUFrM1ucNew--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04NTM-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/f52b7ca9919e8d9711ca2d5e930ce1f1 class=caas-img>Rose Byrne, left, shares a playful moment with Meghann Fahy.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YXmM6wHTsvTdrD_FwQ2kpg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1314b9f69fd3a1412c05570d7702f829 class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Rose Byrne, left, shares a playful moment with Meghann Fahy.
">Rose Byrne, left, shares a playful moment with Meghann Fahy.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YXmM6wHTsvTdrD_FwQ2kpg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/1314b9f69fd3a1412c05570d7702f829 class=caas-img>Meghann Fahy, left, and Rose Byrne
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/djghwu9NUYjzcHVoGGgJsg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/758152e03e84ceddcea0b616c017ec89 class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Meghann Fahy, left, and Rose Byrne
">Meghann Fahy, left, and Rose Byrne
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/djghwu9NUYjzcHVoGGgJsg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjc-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/758152e03e84ceddcea0b616c017ec89 class=caas-img>Oscar Isaac
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YegIETJQslZ1dmBH8Dirtw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/230821efe0ce9470bd9edcfa7452c448 class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Oscar Isaac
">Oscar Isaac
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/YegIETJQslZ1dmBH8Dirtw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODYy/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/230821efe0ce9470bd9edcfa7452c448 class=caas-img>Mahershala Ali
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GLgC89OS5tbKdj7_UgKX1Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e46d93e5c714f1adfa0e1e454458ea34 class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Mahershala Ali
">Mahershala Ali
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/GLgC89OS5tbKdj7_UgKX1Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04Mjg-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/e46d93e5c714f1adfa0e1e454458ea34 class=caas-img>Mahershala Ali and Ethan Hawke share a moment on the red carpet.
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Hk7VhDglOyZ3KSVfULhgBQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MzA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/8e798195b2caf91f770f79a5e4e0ae11 class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
Mahershala Ali and Ethan Hawke share a moment on the red carpet.
">Mahershala Ali and Ethan Hawke share a moment on the red carpet.
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Hk7VhDglOyZ3KSVfULhgBQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MzA-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/8e798195b2caf91f770f79a5e4e0ae11 class=caas-img>"Hamnet" director Chloé Zhao
" data-src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/1liiHJmeN68XSN1U78XSpg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODU3/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/4546193e92b956173a6b9bb1b3ba3260 class=caas-img data-headline="Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus" data-caption="
"Hamnet" director Chloé Zhao
">"Hamnet" director Chloé Zhao
" src=https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/1liiHJmeN68XSN1U78XSpg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xODU3/https://media.zenfs.com/en/usa_today_slideshows_242/4546193e92b956173a6b9bb1b3ba3260 class=caas-img>
1 / 18Best Palm Springs Film Awards looks, from Kate Hudson to Miley Cyrus
Hollywood stepped out on the first big red carpet of the new year at the Palm Springs International Film Awards in California on Jan. 3, 2025, starting with "Sentimental Value" star Renate Reinsve.
Other filmmakers who have bought California theaters
Stewart isn’t the only celebrity to go all in on a movie theater.
In December 2007, Quentin Tarantino bought the famed New Beverly Cinema on Beverly Boulevard to save it from redevelopment. In 2014, Tarantino became the theater’s head programmer and decided to project only 35MM films.
In 2021, Tarantino bought the historic Vista Theatre on Sunset Drive in Los Feliz.
In 2024, filmmaker Jason Reitman led a group of 35 filmmakers — including Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Judd Apatow, Ryan Coogler, Seth Rogen, Bradley Cooper, and Guillermo del Toro — in the purchase of Westwood’s historic Village Theater. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the group of celebrities united with a mission “to preserve the architectural gem and create a cultural landmark dedicated to the beloved experience of moviegoing.”
Kristen Stewart’s ties to California
Stewart was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the San Fernando Valley before moving to L.A.’s Eastside as a young adult. She began her Hollywood career at the age of 8.
Over the past two decades, she has starred in movies including “Panic Room,” “Adventureland,” “The Runaways,” the “Twilight” franchise, “Snow White and the Huntsman,” “Clouds of Sils Maria,” “Charlie’s Angels,” “Underwater,” and “Spencer,” which earned her an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Fun Fact: Stewart made her mark in Northern California a couple of years ago — at least on the movie screen. She starred alongside Michael Cera and Michael Angarano in the 2025 road trip buddy comedy, “Sacramento.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Actress Kristen Stewart buys historic movie palace in Los Angeles
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
