Significance Nanostructured metamaterials have been engineered to generate a wide range of optical phenomena, allowing an unprecedented control over the propagation of light. However, they are generally designed as single-purpose devices without a modifiable optical response, which can be a barrier to applications. In this work, we report the nontrivial infiltration of a nanostructured planar silica metalens with nematic liquid crystals. We then demonstrate a measurable change in the metalens optical response after infiltration. Since the orientation-dependent optical properties of liquid crystals can be controlled with external stimuli, this technology could potentially enable dynamic control of the metalens optical response.