Thanks to Hollywood, this 1,454-foot skyscraper has witnessed everything from passionate affairs to aliens to a jumbo-sized peach.
It is considered Warhol’s most famous and influential cinematic work.M.L.L.
Superman catches it in the nick of time and restores it to its iconic perch atop the building.M.L.L.
Will Ferrell in ‘Elf’; Tom Hanks, Ross Malinger, and Meg Ryan in ‘Sleepless in Seattle’; Leighton Meester in the ‘Gossip Girl’ episode ‘Last Tango, Then Paris’.Credit:New Line Cinema; TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection; HBO Max
The building’s role in the movie capitalized on its history as a pop-culture icon.M.L.L.
As aliens seek to invade and destroy Earth, they wipe out major cities, including New York.
During the film’s climax, James arrives in NYC aboard an oversized peach flown by his insect friends.
King Kong on top of the Empire State Building in ‘King Kong’.Everett Collection
Chuck issued an ultimatum to Blair,asking her to meet him atop the building.
Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Jules Munshin in ‘On the Town’.Everett Collection
Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in ‘An Affair to Remember’.Everett Collection
The Empire State Building in ‘Empire’.Underwood Archives/Getty Images
Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel in ‘The Producers’.Everett Collection
Christopher Reeve fixing the Empire State Building in ‘Superman II’.Warner Bros.
Meg Ryan, Ross Malinger, and Tom Hanks on top of the Empire State Building in ‘Sleepless in Seattle’.Everett Collection
The Empire State Building in ‘Independence Day’.20th Century Fox
The Empire State Building in ‘James and the Giant Peach’.Disney
Will Ferrell inside the Empire State Building in ‘Elf’.New Line
Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Alyson Hannigan, and Neil Patrick Harris inside the Empire State Building in the ‘How I Met Your Mother’ episode ‘First Time in New York’.CBS
Leighton Meester on top of the Empire State Building in the ‘Gossip Girl’ episode ‘Last Tango, Then Paris’.The CW
Logan Lerman in ‘Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief’ (2010).Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Mindy Kaling and Chris Messina atop the Empire State Building in ‘The Mindy Project’ episode ‘Danny and Mindy’.Fox
Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson on top of the Empire State Building in the ‘Broad City’ episode ‘Friendiversary’.Comedy Central/YouTube
