Kristen Stewart Acquires Historic Highland Theatre

A century-old movie palace in Highland Park will avoid permanent closure thanks to Hollywood actor Kristen Stewart.

The “Twilight” star and native Angeleno purchased the Highland Theatre at 5604 North Figueroa Street for an undisclosed amount, Architectural Digest and the Los Angeles Times reported. The movie house went dark in 2024 and faced permanent closure before Stewart stepped in.

The venue will need a lot of love before it can reopen to moviegoers. The three-story building has a partially intact mezzanine and stage, but significant renovation and rehabilitation efforts will be needed to bring it back to its former glory.

“There are so many beautiful details that need to be restored,” Stewart told Architectural Digest. “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.”

Architect Lewis Arthur Smith, known for envisioning other local theaters like the Vista Theatre in Los Feliz and the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, designed the Highland Theatre. Coincidentally, another actor-turned-director, Quentin Tarantino, purchased the Vista in 2021 and reopened it two years later, while a group of filmmakers led by director Jason Reitman acquired the nearly 100-year-old Village Theatre in Westwood in 2024.

“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,” Stewart told Architectural Digest, saying she’s “fascinated by broken-down old theaters” and “always want[s] to see what mysteries they hold.”

Stewart moved to buy the theater after seeing local theaters in her home city being replaced with retail stores. The actor is hopeful for the future of art in an entertainment industry increasingly dominated by reboots, revivals and the rising presence of artificial intelligence. “When people are desperate, they start doing desperate things,” Stewart said. “I think buying this theater feels a little desperate in, like, the most beautiful way.”

The actor’s restoration endeavor is “not just for pretentious Hollywood cinephiles,” she added. “I see it as an antidote to all the corporate bullsh*t, a place that takes movie culture away from just buying and selling. I think there’s a huge desire and craving for what this kind of space can offer.”

— Chris Malone Méndez