Kristen Stewart buys defunct Los Angeles theatre to preserve moviegoing culture
The theatre, which closed in 2024 just months before completing 100 years, is one of several Los Angeles cinemas built in the 1920s and designed by architect Lewis Arthur Smith. It first opened its doors on March 2, 1925, with a screening of Lady of the Night.
Los Angeles: Hollywood actor and filmmaker Kristen Stewart has purchased a long-shuttered movie theatre in Los Angeles, saying she is drawn to the “mysteries” of old, broken-down cinemas and hopes to revive the space as a community hub for film lovers.
The theatre, which closed in 2024 just months before completing 100 years, is one of several Los Angeles cinemas built in the 1920s and designed by architect Lewis Arthur Smith. It first opened its doors on March 2, 1925, with a screening of Lady of the Night.
Speaking in an interview with Architectural Digest, Stewart said she has always been fascinated by abandoned theatres. She added that she did not realise she was actively looking for one until this particular building came to her attention, after which she pursued it with determination.
The Oscar-nominated actor described the restoration project as an opportunity to create a shared space where people can gather, collaborate and celebrate cinema. She stressed that the venue would be inclusive and community-oriented rather than catering exclusively to elite film circles.
Stewart said the theatre could serve as an alternative to corporate-driven movie culture, offering a place rooted in creativity, history and collective experience. She noted that the building still contains several beautiful architectural details that she hopes to restore while also introducing something new to the neighbourhood and the wider Los Angeles film community.
She joins several prominent filmmakers who have invested in preserving historic cinemas in Los Angeles. Director Quentin Tarantino owns both the New Beverly Cinema and the Vista Theatre, while a group including Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Jason Reitman and Bradley Cooper purchased the Fox Village Theatre in Westwood.
Expressing her affection for Los Angeles, Stewart said she appreciates the city’s unique structure as a collection of neighbourhoods that offers both diversity and unity.
Stewart’s latest directorial project, The Chronology of Water, starring Imogen Poots, is currently playing in theatres. Among her upcoming projects is The Wrong Girls, directed by her wife Dylan Meyer, which Stewart also co-wrote and stars in.
