Kristen Stewart is explaining the reasoning behind purchasing a century-old decrepit movie theater in Los Angeles.
Earlier in the year, the Oscar-nominated actress and filmmaker, 36, confirmed that she had indeed purchased Highland Park’s historic Highland Theatre, although the amount of purchase wasn’t revealed.
At the time, she revealed her intent to renovate the landmark building, further diving deeper into the move during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 10.
Kristen Stewart is explaining why exactly she bought a 100-year-old movie theater in Los Angeles (Getty Images)
“It was kind of a desperate move, like, a slightly foolhardy thing. But I was just like, ‘imagine if this thing became a [expletive] Urban Outfitters or something,’ it would be so sad,” she explained to host Jimmy Fallon.
Kristen noted that at this point in time, they’re “just re-servicing everything, everything’s changing all the time,” and defended the decision as not just one to preserve history, but also reinvigorate a desire to rejuvenate the movie-going experience, one that took a sharp dip after the Covid-19 induced lockdowns and the advent of streaming, but is now back on the up.
You may also like
“I think there was a moment where people were thinking movies were dead or the theater experience wasn’t going to be a thing anymore, and [I thought], ‘Where did you first do anything?’,” she quipped.
“It was kind of a desperate move, like, a slightly foolhardy thing,” she told host Jimmy Fallon (Getty Images)
When asked whether she felt the history of the place each time she walked in, she gushed about “the layers of decades that you have not cleaned out, you just go, ‘Oh my god, the ’20s, the ’30s, the ’40s’,” jokingly then asking the host to invest in the theater, which he swiftly moved on from.
The Highland Theatre (also known as the Highland Park Theatre) originally opened in 1925 with a screening of the silent romantic drama Lady of the Night, with its lead Norma Shearer in attendance as well. The presence of one of the decade’s most prominent leading ladies instantly elevated the venue to prominence in Hollywood.
However, over time, due to changes in ownership as decades passed, the theater lost some of its prominence, although it was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1991. It closed for 14 months between 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and after reopening in May 2021, it closed once again in February 2024 after failing to bounce back.
The Highland Theatre opened with a screening of 1925’s “Lady of the Night,” starring Norma Shearer (Getty Images)
In February 2026, the Spencer star confirmed to Architectural Digest that she had indeed bought the venue to renovate and some day re-open it. “I didn’t realize I was looking for a theater until this place came to my attention,” she told the publication.
“Then it was like a gunshot went off and the race was on. I ran toward it with everything I had. I’m fascinated by broken-down old theaters. I always want to see what mysteries they hold.”
Speaking of her hopes for the space, she continued: “It’s an opportunity to make a space to gather and scheme and dream together…We want to make it a family affair, something for the community. It’s not just for pretentious Hollywood cinephiles.”
“I’m fascinated by broken-down old theaters. I always want to see what mysteries they hold.” (Getty Images)
“I see it as an antidote to all the corporate [expletive], a place that takes movie culture away from just buying and selling,” Kristen added. “I think there’s a huge desire and craving for what this kind of space can offer.”