Kristen Stewart Turns Up the Heat in Sultry Barely-There Top for Architectural Digest
Kristen Stewart is stepping into a new role, and this time it has nothing to do with acting. According to Architectural Digest, the actress has bought the historic Highland Theatre in Los Angeles and plans to turn it into something very different from what it used to be.
The Highland Theatre first opened in 1925 and spent decades hosting live performances and movie screenings. After years of decline, it officially shut down in 2024.
Stewart recently purchased the building and says the decision hit her fast. In her interview with Architectural Digest, she explained that once she heard the theater was available, it was like a gunshot went off and the race was on. She admitted she didn’t even know she wanted to own a theater until this one came along.
Kristen Stewart photographed by Tierney Gearon for Architectural Digest. 📷
— Film Crave (@_filmcrave) February 4, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/lbILRoIg3e pic.twitter.com/1pPVtGs1Gq
Stewart has always been drawn to old theaters, especially ones that feel forgotten. She likes places that feel lived in and full of hidden stories. For her, the Highland isn’t about glamour or red carpets. It’s about bringing energy back into a space that once mattered to the city.
Her plan goes far beyond showing movies. Stewart wants the theater to become a creative hub where people can meet, talk, and build ideas together. She made it clear that the space is not just for pretentious Hollywood cinephiles. Instead, she wants it to feel open, welcoming, and rooted in the local neighborhood. She also sees the project as a response to big corporate movie culture and says smaller, more personal spaces are needed now more than ever.
The building itself needs serious repairs. Stewart says she wants to protect its classic Golden Age look while still making it useful for today. She believes there’s a way to bring the building back to life in a way that embraces its history without turning it into a museum.
As a Los Angeles native who grew up in the San Fernando Valley, Stewart feels deeply connected to the city. She says LA feels like many small neighborhoods stitched together. While the city often gets criticized, she pushed back on that idea, saying LA gets a bad rap for being unserious, but there’s so much art and culture here.
Still, she doesn’t ignore the city’s biggest problems. Stewart has been vocal about the homelessness crisis and works closely with the Downtown Women’s Center, which supports women on Skid Row. She said plainly that LA is drowning in inadequacy in our response to homelessness. According to recent Los Angeles County data, around 75,000 people are currently homeless, and Black residents make up a much larger share of that population than their percentage of the county overall.
Stewart believes art and politics are connected, whether people admit it or not. She said making films is a political act because every project reflects choices about values and priorities. For her, the Highland Theatre is one way to use her platform to push for change while also giving people a place to connect.
The project is still in its early stages, but Stewart’s vision is clear. She wants to build something meaningful, local, and alive. A place that remembers the past but isn’t stuck in it.
What do you think about Kristen Stewart turning an old movie theater into a creative community space? Share your thoughts in the comments.
