Netflix's 'Skywalkers' Stars Climbed the Empire State Building, Got Engaged, and Got Arrested

Content creators Ivan "Vanya" Beerkus and Angela Nikolau, known for climbing tall buildings and posing at the top for Instagram, were introduced to wide audiences by the 2024 Netflix documentary 'Skywalkers: A Love Story.' Now the pair have outdone themselves, climbing to the top of the antenna on the Empire State Building, New York's second-tallest skyscraper. As local news helicopters circled overhead, the internet watched this daring romance unfold in stunned fascination.

At first, the stunt looked like it might be a political protest: the pair were dressed head to toe in black, wearing bandanas and masks. Once they reached the top of the antenna, the first thing they did was unfurl a large banner. It read, "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." They then climbed down the antenna to a platform below, where one got down on one knee and proposed to the other. The woman put on the ring, even holding out her finger for a photo.

For this pair, height isn't really the point: the Netflix documentary had already shown them climbing Kuala Lumpur's 2,227-foot Merdeka 118 tower; the top of the Empire State Building, by comparison, sits just under 1,500 feet. Still, the entire stunt — masks included — was illegal, and the Russian couple was eventually taken into custody by the NYPD. It's unclear whether they'll face formal charges or simply be released with a warning.

According to Deadline, the stunt has no connection to any past or future Netflix project. It's not an ad for an AI company or a betting platform — just two people who love climbing tall places and looking good while they do it. With today's heat index in New York reaching 41 degrees Celsius, it was likely a pretty "hot" day in more ways than one.