Nanocomposite films comprising polymer-functionalized single-walled carbon-nanotubes (SWNTs) and liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) show a reversible IR-induced strain (similar to-30%) at very low SWNT loading levels (0.2 wt%). SWNTs can efficiently transform absorbed IR light into thermal energy, thereby serving as a nanoscale heat-source and thermal-conduction pathway. The absorbed thermal-energy induced a nematic-isotropic phase-transition, generating a shape change in the nanocomposite film.