Top I Love The Smiths videos
The most-viewed public videos of this trend, linked to the original posts. View counts as of Nov 9, 2026.
- @searchlightpicsThe original elevator scene, posted by the film's studio5.7M395.7KFeb 1, 2024Original
- @zora.pansy_winCapCut template tutorial, the most-viewed tutorial we found1.4M116.9KNov 7, 2026Original
- @meowtakeoverAI kittens in the elevator, one in headphones and one in glasses466.8K103.4KNov 7, 2026Original
What is the I Love The Smiths trend?
"I love the Smiths" is a line from the elevator scene in the 2009 romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer. Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is listening to The Smiths' "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" on his headphones when Summer (Zooey Deschanel) overhears it and tells him she loves the band. She sings a few lyrics and walks out, and he is left staring after her. The scene has been a TikTok staple for years: the clip Searchlight Pictures posted in 2024 has 5.7 million views.
In November 2026 the scene became an AI video trend. Creators rebuild the same elevator two-shot with other faces: fan-favorite pairings, TV characters and, in one clip with 466,000 views, two kittens. The AI clips we watched are landscape and run 21 to 24 seconds. Within days, tutorials for Kling and CapCut templates were turning a couple of photos into the scene.
Key elements
- The line
- "I love the Smiths," then "I said, I love the Smiths" when the other person doesn't hear
- Comes from
- The elevator scene in (500) Days of Summer (2009)
- Song in the film
- "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths
- Format
- Two characters in a wood-paneled elevator, one in headphones, landscape, about 20 seconds
- AI versions
- Famous pairs, TV characters and pets, with photo templates in Kling and CapCut
- Who posts it
- Film fans, fan-edit accounts, AI creators and pet accounts
Where the I Love The Smiths trend came from
Key moments, each with a source.
The film premieres
(500) Days of Summer, directed by Marc Webb and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, premieres at Sundance. It reaches US theaters later that year. [1]
Still arguing about it ten years on
A Vice essay looks back at the elevator scene and why it still irritates people a decade later, a sign of how firmly the moment has stuck. [2]
Zooey Deschanel plays it again
Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott reenact the scene on TikTok, with the Smiths song from the original. [3]
The studio posts the clip
Searchlight Pictures posts the scene on TikTok, captioned "I LOVE THE SMITHS." It has reached 5.7 million views and 45,000 shares, the most-viewed post we found. [4]
Another film edit breaks out
@michael.5456 posts a film edit that passes 1.5 million views, a month before the AI wave. [7]
A real-life remake
@hanan.selini films the moment on an autumn park bench, with the line as a subtitle. It passes 770,000 views, with 188,000 likes. [8]
AI pairings spread
@coenai posts a TikTok-labeled AI clip of a Formula 1 driver and his partner in the elevator. It passes 480,000 views. [11]
Why it went viral
A scene people already know
The elevator moment has been circulating on TikTok for years, so viewers get the joke in the first second. #ILoveTheSmiths alone has passed 317 million views.
Two people, one shot
There is one setting, one camera angle and one short line. That makes it easy to recast and easy for AI to get right.
Fans cast their favorite pairs
Most of the AI clips we found put a pairing people already care about into the elevator, from pop stars to TV characters.
Pets make it shareable
The kitten clip needs no film knowledge at all. It has 20,000 shares on 466,000 views, about one share for every 23 views.
How to make the I Love The Smiths video
Pick a template, upload your photo and Vid2Prompt makes the video. No prompt to write.
- 1
Pick a template
Two people (1–2 photos) or Pets (1–2 photos).
- 2
Upload your photos
Clear, front-facing photos work best, one person per photo.
- 3
Generate and post
You get a 15-second 16:9 video with sound in about 4 minutes. Add the original song when you post.
Two people · 1–2 photos
You wear the headphones while a friend says the line and walks out. One photo works too: the other person is generated.
Use this templatePets · 1–2 photos
Your pet plays the scene in headphones, with a second pet in round glasses. One photo works too: the other pet is generated.
Use this templateTips for a better result
- Use clear, front-facing photos in even light, with one person or one pet per photo.
- Put the person who listens in the Headphones spot and the person who says the line in the other one.
- Use photos of yourself and friends who agreed to be in the video.
- The video is landscape like the viral clips, so it shows with bars above and below in a vertical feed.
- The video has its own dialogue and a made-up guitar tune, not The Smiths' song. Add a sound from TikTok or Instagram when you post if you want one.
- Turn on TikTok's AI-generated label when you post.
Made with Vid2Prompt
Results from the templates on this page: the photo that went in and the video that came out, unedited.
Photo in Video out Two people, from two AI-generated test photos: Seedance 2.0 Mini, 15 seconds, 720p. The dialogue and guitar tune come with the video; it does not include The Smiths' song.
Photo in Video out Pets, from two AI-generated test photos: Seedance 2.0 Mini, 15 seconds, 720p. The dialogue and guitar tune come with the video; it does not include The Smiths' song.
I Love The Smiths trend FAQ
What is the I Love The Smiths trend?
I Love The Smiths is a TikTok trend built on the elevator scene from the 2009 film (500) Days of Summer, where Summer overhears Tom's headphones and says the line. Since November 2026, creators have remade it with AI, using new faces and even kittens, and #ILoveTheSmiths has passed 317 million views.
What movie is "I love the Smiths" from?
(500) Days of Summer, the 2009 romantic comedy directed by Marc Webb. Summer (Zooey Deschanel) says the line to Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in an office elevator, after hearing the music from his headphones.
What song plays in the I Love The Smiths scene?
"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by The Smiths. In the film, Tom is listening to it on his headphones and Summer sings a few lyrics before she walks out. The AI clips on TikTok use many different sounds, and the biggest tutorial uses "ghostin" by Ariana Grande.
Why do people say "I said I love the Smiths"?
Tom has headphones on and doesn't catch the line the first time, so Summer repeats it. The second, slightly louder take is the part people quote, and #ISaidILoveTheSmiths has its own 33 million views.
How do I make the I Love The Smiths AI video?
Pick the Two people or Pets template on Vid2Prompt, upload one or two photos and press Generate. In about 4 minutes you get a 15-second landscape video with spoken lines and no watermark.
Is there an I Love The Smiths CapCut or Kling template?
Yes. Since November 7, 2026, tutorials on TikTok have shared templates for both apps. Vid2Prompt makes a similar elevator video in your browser, with no app to install.
Can I make it with my cat or dog?
Yes. The Pets template takes one or two pet photos. Your pet sits in the elevator in headphones, and a second pet in round glasses says the line. If you upload one photo, the other pet is generated.
Does the video include The Smiths' song?
No. The video comes with spoken lines and a made-up guitar tune from the headphones, not the real song or the film's audio. You can add a sound from TikTok or Instagram's library when you post.
Can I make an I Love The Smiths video of a celebrity?
No. The templates are made for photos of you, your friends and your pets. Don't upload photos of celebrities or anyone who hasn't agreed to be in the video.
Is Vid2Prompt affiliated with The Smiths or the film?
No. Vid2Prompt is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Smiths, Searchlight Pictures, the makers of (500) Days of Summer, CapCut, Kling or TikTok.
Do I need to write a prompt to make an I Love The Smiths video?
No. Pick the I Love The Smiths template on Vid2Prompt, upload your photo and press Generate. The scene, outfits, moves and camera are already set.
Can I make an I Love The Smiths video on my phone?
Yes. Vid2Prompt runs in your phone's browser, so there is no app to install. Upload a photo from your camera roll and download the video when it is ready.
Similar AI video trends
Sources
- 500 Days of Summer, Wikipedia: director, cast and release dates. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/500_Days_of_Summer
- Alex Zaragoza, "Why the Elevator Scene in '(500) Days of Summer' Still Pisses People Off 10 Years Later," Vice, July 17, 2019. vice.com/en/article/why-the-elevator-scene-in-500-days-of-summer-still-pisses-people-off-10-years-later
- Claudia Willen, "Watch Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott parody her iconic '500 Days of Summer' elevator scene," Yahoo News, October 28, 2021. yahoo.com/news/watch-zooey-deschanel-jonathan-scott-205011722.html
- @searchlightpics, "I LOVE THE SMITHS," TikTok, February 1, 2024. tiktok.com/@searchlightpics/video/7330753248997035306
- @akssoxn, "I love the Smiths," TikTok, July 19, 2025. tiktok.com/@akssoxn/video/7528900733651946782
- @stxrarchive, "I love the smiths so much," TikTok, June 6, 2026. tiktok.com/@stxrarchive/video/7648327412572278024
- @michael.5456, "500 days of summer," TikTok, September 29, 2026. tiktok.com/@michael.5456/video/7691002360402939158
- @hanan.selini, "i love the smiths," TikTok, October 21, 2026. tiktok.com/@hanan.selini/video/7699164122277088534
- @kuwtkkkk, AI clip tagged #ai and #500daysofsummer, TikTok, November 5, 2026. tiktok.com/@kuwtkkkk/video/7704759022074760480
- Summrs, guide to making the I Love The Smiths AI video from two photos, November 5, 2026. summrs.com/blog/how-to-make-i-love-the-smiths-ai-video
- @coenai, AI clip labeled by TikTok as AI-generated, TikTok, November 6, 2026. tiktok.com/@coenai/video/7705071728225012999
- @meowtakeover, "Gatito love the smiths," AI clip, TikTok, November 7, 2026. tiktok.com/@meowtakeover/video/7705341986139655442
- @tacy1094, Kling template tutorial, TikTok, November 7, 2026. tiktok.com/@tacy1094/video/7705305222616239391
- @zora.pansy_win, CapCut template tutorial, TikTok, November 7, 2026. tiktok.com/@zora.pansy_win/video/7705456067345386766
- Vid2Prompt research: public view counts of 10 I Love The Smiths videos and 4 hashtags on TikTok, captured November 9, 2026.
View and like counts are public numbers captured on the date shown and change over time. Videos belong to their creators and play through TikTok's own embed player.