American actor and director Kristen Stewart has taken on a new project off-screen by purchasing and beginning the restoration of the Highland Theatre, a nearly century-old movie house located in the Highland Park neighbourhood of Los Angeles, California. The historic cinema, which first opened in 1925 and closed in February 2024 just weeks before its 100th anniversary, had been shut for several years after struggling to stay open following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stewart told Architectural Digest that she has always been fascinated by old and forgotten movie theatres, and that when she discovered the Highland Theatre she felt an immediate connection. She said the decision to buy it came instinctively, adding that she ran toward the opportunity with “everything I had.” Her vision for the space goes beyond simply screening films, as she wants to transform the venue into a vibrant community-focused cultural centre.
Rather than restoring the Highland Theatre solely as a commercial cinema, Stewart plans to make it a place where people can come together to be creative, gather for events, and celebrate film and culture in a way that is welcoming to all. She said she wants it to be “a family affair, something for the community” and not limited to “pretentious Hollywood cinephiles.”
The theatre was designed by architect Lewis Arthur Smith and served as a key neighbourhood film venue for decades, featuring vaudeville performances and, later, mainstream movie screenings before being subdivided into multiple screens in the 1980s. Its closure in 2024 marked the end of nearly 100 years of continuous operation. Stewart’s restoration efforts aim to preserve its architectural legacy while creating a modern space that supports creativity and local culture.
Stewart’s directorial work has recently expanded to include films such as The Chronology of Water, and she hopes that her involvement with the Highland Theatre will help support artistic expression in film and performance. Her ambitious project reflects a growing movement among filmmakers to protect and revitalise historic cinemas in Los Angeles and beyond.
