New York City’s skyline, adorned by the mighty Empire State Building, is a cultural icon and has been featured in countless movies, television shows, and works of art. Every year, the who’s who of celebrities, royalty, and dignitaries visit the observation deck to experience the extraordinary views of New York City.

Priyanka Chopra has been mesmerising us Indians with her intellect, creativity, and ambition ever since her days on the global ramp, and Bollywood shone big when she promoted her show Quantico during her visit to the Empire State Building back in November 2016, establishing a strong Indian connection to the iconic New York landmark.

In line with India’s passion for movies, the country has witnessed a significant rise in viewership, with audiences showing a keen interest in Marvel films. With the new “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” release thronging Indian theatres with massive turnouts, Tom Holland is a recurring topic in the media. He was invited to light the Empire State Building in blue and red to honour The Brothers Trust and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” in June 2019. The actor celebrated The Brothers Trust, a charity that supports organisations that “struggle to be heard.” Holland was joined by his cast members to light up ESB while promoting the Spider-Man film.

The current India box office notes Zendaya as another breakthrough star yet again with big hits such as Spider-Man films, Dune, Euphoria, and Odyssey, alongside her formidable personality and style. The singer, dancer, actress and entrepreneur was invited to light the Empire State Building along with the other cast members, including Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron of “The Greatest Showman”, to promote the film in December 2017.

In the scope of Netflix India, one of the biggest shows to have captured massive viewership was “Stranger Things”. The cast turned the Empire State Building “Upside-Down” to celebrate their Season 4 premiere in May 2022. The observatory had a first-of-its-kind, dynamic light show that could be seen for blocks. “Stranger Things” cast members Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Cara Buono, and Priah Ferguson came to ESB for a full observatory experience.

The Jonas Brothers visited the Empire State Building for a special lighting ceremony to celebrate their anniversary, latest album release, and tour in March of 2025. This group has constantly been a significant pop-cultural moment in music for young Indians, including having performed in Mumbai back in 2024. On the day of the ceremony, the trio shared remarks and flipped the iconic light switch, illuminating the building in their honour. They surprised fans by showing up at a Jonas Brothers lookalike contest held on the 80th floor, creating unforgettable memories for attendees. Afterwards, they headed up to the 86th and 102nd Floor Observatories to enjoy breathtaking views of New York City.

The Harry Potter magic in India has been spreading like wildfire ever since its book release, and a vast majority of millennials, Gen-Z, or even the older generations have all been avid readers of the books and followers of the film, the subculture, the actors, and everything else, stirring a kind of nostalgia that will forever remain in India’s pop culture history. The lightning Draco Malfoy, portrayed by actor Tom Felton, visited the Empire State Building to light the tower green in celebration of his Broadway debut and return to the iconic role in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in October 2025. The special lighting ceremony was held in support of Broadway Cares. After the ceremony, Felton made his way to the top of ESB for views of NYC.

WWE is a legacy even in India, especially for the 90s and early 00s, as icons of the ring emerged and stirred something real in them. Actor and WWE record world champion John Cena was invited to light up the Empire State Building in honour of the Make-a-Wish Foundation and his movie “Bumblebee” in December 2018. Cena is known as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time and took up acting later in his career. Cena was joined by co-star Hailee Steinfeld to spend a special day and evening with Make-A-Wish Foundation members and kids in a screening of the movie and ESB lighting ceremony.

Experience New York City through the eyes of your favourite stars at the Empire State Building.