Have you ever watched a movie and wished that it could become reality? Most of us just leave that idea as a wish and move on with our regular lives, but sometimes movies inspire people to do something they wouldn’t have been bold enough to do otherwise.

Twenty-five year old TikToker Grace Gagnon watched the 2006 romantic comedy “The Holiday” and felt inspired. In case you’re not familiar with the movie, the basic plot is that two women swap houses over the holiday. In the movie, it’s a swap between Los Angeles and the English countryside. 

Gagnon does not live in Los Angeles, but she didn’t let that stop her from dreaming of switching places with someone in England. She posted a TikTok video of her studio apartment on the Boston waterfront and simply asked, “Anyone in England want to switch places for the holiday?”

@grace_gagnonSerious inquiries only. Bonus points if you have a hot, single brother. ##theholiday ##boston♬ The holiday theme – <3

Gagnon never really expected a swap to happen. She just felt like posting the video. She was shocked when she woke up the next day and her video had gone viral. She received multiple requests to switch places in England and in other countries.

In order to decide who to swap with, she send potential candidates a form to film out and include information like whether or not they had pets or roommates, who if anyone they would be traveling with and details about their home. In the end, Gagnon decided to swap with another 20-something female who lives in Bath, England.

There were a few different reasons Gagnon chose Bath. For starters, she’s a fan of the show “Bridgerton,” which is filmed there. In addition, she really clicked with the person she would be swapping with. They have a lot in common, and according to Gagnon, talking to her felt like talking to a friend.

In reality, the two aren’t really close friends (at least not yet), so they are taking precautions to make sure their belongings are protected. They are using the website HomeExchange to make sure their valuables and homes are protected during the exchange.

Gagnon’s swap got so much attention that she was a guest on “The Drew Barrymore Show” to talk about her experience so far. She admitted to Drew Barrymore that when she posted the video she really meant it as a joke. She never expected it to go viral, and she never expected to get 100s of DMs from people who wanted to swap with her.

Barrymore told Gagnon she had asked Cameron Diaz (who was one of the actresses in the movie “The Holiday”) for some advice for Gagnon, and Diaz’s advice was to “follow your heart.” She added, “That applies to everything you’re about to embark on.”

Gagnon booked a flight to England, and she will arrive in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve. In the plot of “The Holiday,” both women end up finding love during their swap. Time will tell if this ends up being true in the real life version.

Would you ever consider swapping homes with someone? Has a movie ever inspired you to do something you wouldn’t have done otherwise?