Vivian Lai

{{infobox person

| name = Vivian Lai

| image = Minutes Before Walk of Fame at The Star Awards 2017 - Vivian Lai.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Lai at the Star Awards 2017

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|12|18}}

| birth_place = Taipei, Taiwan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| body_discovered =

| resting_place =

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| other_names =

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| occupation = {{hlist|Actress|television host|businesswoman}}

| years_active = 1999-present

| spouse = {{marriage|Alain Ong|2001}}

| children = 2

| awards = Full list

| module2 = {{Infobox Chinese |child= yes|hide= no |headercolor=lightblue

| t = 賴怡伶

| s = 赖怡伶

| p = Lài Yílíng

| j = Laai6 Ji4 Ling4

}}

Vivian Lai Yi-ling (born 18 December 1976) is a Taiwanese-born actress, television host and businesswoman based in Singapore.

Life and career

Born in Taiwan, Lai migrated to Singapore with her Taiwanese family when she was still a student. She joined Star Search Singapore 1999 and was the winner in the Singapore edition and the overall champion in the female contestant category.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/6feef765-1162-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad|title=Female Star Search Finalist Vivian Lai (right) who won the Female Star Search prize during the All-Asian Star Search grand final held in Television Corporation of Singapore TV Theatre.|date=April 25, 1999|website=National Archives of Singapore|publisher=Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729151159/http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/6feef765-1162-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad|archive-date=July 29, 2018|access-date=July 29, 2018}}{{Cite web |title=赖怡伶 |url=https://www.lnxglobal.com/zh/vivianlai |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=LNX Global |language=zh}}

Lai started out as an actress, making her debut in Knotty Liaisons, and won good reviews. She eventually diversified into hosting and has hosted various kinds of programmes ranging from food reviews to travelogues. In 2012, after numerous nominations, she won her first professional award, the Best Supporting Actress award, at the Star Awards 2012 for her role as a Chinese immigrant in Love Thy Neighbour.

Lai is also the brand ambassador for Pokka beverages, Kirei Kirei soap, Samsung electrical appliances and Osim massage.{{Cite news|url=http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20121130-386902.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729141701/http://www.asiaone.com/print/News/Latest%2BNews/Showbiz/Story/A1Story20121130-386902.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 July 2018|title=Awkward age? Not for 'aunty' Lai|date=December 2, 2012|work=The New Paper|access-date=July 29, 2018}}

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Lai has been active as a livestream e-commerce vendor. She is also a co-host of The Wonder Shop, an infomercial series on Channel 8.{{Cite web |title=转战直播带货赖怡伶：没放弃演艺工作 {{!}} 联合早报 |url=https://www.zaobao.com.sg/entertainment/story20240831-4577093 |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=www.zaobao.com.sg |language=zh-Hans}}

Her current management company is LNX Global headed by Li Nanxing.

Personal life

Lai is married to Alain Ong and the couple have two daughters, Vera and Ariel.{{Cite web|url=http://sg.theasianparent.com:80/vivian_lai_gives_birth_singapore/|title=Vivian Lai Gives Birth|last=Ong|first=Sandra|website=theAsianParent Singapore|date=22 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624221005/http://sg.theasianparent.com/vivian_lai_gives_birth_singapore/|archive-date=24 June 2016|url-status=live|access-date=July 29, 2018}} Their house in central Singapore was estimated to be worth $8 million in 2018.{{Cite web |date=2018-04-06 |title=House Tour: Actress Vivian Lai's $8million three-storey semi-detached house |url=https://www.homeanddecor.com.sg/articles/107484-house-tour-actress-vivian-lai-s-8million-three-storey-semi-detached-house/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407165816/https://www.homeanddecor.com.sg/articles/107484-house-tour-actress-vivian-lai-s-8million-three-storey-semi-detached-house/ |archive-date=2018-04-07 |website=Home & Decor Singapore}}

Ong is the CEO of Pokka International and Deputy Group CEO of Pokka Corporation which Lai has been brand ambassador for multiple years from around 2008. This has thus attracted its fair share of controversy, amid allegations of conflict of interest which in 2012, she was paid S$1 million to continue endorsing the brand.{{Cite web|url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/vivian-lai-alain-ong-pokka-142658200.html|title=Vivian Lai, Alain Ong, and Pokka Corporation through the years|website=sg.news.yahoo.com|date=27 September 2018 |language=en-SG|access-date=2020-03-10}}

In September 2018, her husband, Ong, was suspended from his posts by Pokka Corporation following an internal audit and would later take up a new appointment offered by Kimly, which he was a non-executive director of Kimly.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/seller-of-asian-story-to-kimly-had-links-to-pokka|title=Seller of Asian Story to Kimly had links to Pokka|last=Tan|first=Angela|date=2018-12-01|website=The Business Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-10}} Lai's contract as an ambassador was terminated in the following month, despite claims by Mediacorp that her contract would remain unchanged.{{Cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/pokka-ceo-alain-ong-suspended-in-management-reshuffle|title=Pokka CEO Alain Ong suspended in management reshuffle|last=hermesauto|date=2018-09-28|website=The Straits Times|language=en|access-date=2020-03-10}}

Lai has adopted seven dogs and encourages others to adopt instead of buying pets. She takes care of them with her daughters and domestic helper with a monthly pet budget of $1,500 to $2,000.{{Cite web |last=Soh |first=Joanne |date=2025-03-02 |title=Celeb Pawrents: Actress-host Vivian Lai says joy on her six dogs' faces is indescribable |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/life/celeb-pawrents-actress-host-vivian-lai-joy-on-her-dogs-faces-is-indescribable |website=The Strait Times}}

Filmography

=Films=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference(s)}}
scope="row"\| 2008 \| Money No Enough 2 \| rowspan=2\|Zhou Yanyan \| \|
scope="row"\| 2009 \| Where Got Ghost? \| \|

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

scope="row"| 2008

| Money No Enough 2

| rowspan=2|Zhou Yanyan

scope="row"| 2009

| Where Got Ghost?

=Television series=

scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference(s)}}
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2000 \| Knotty Liaisons \|\| Jiaxuan \|\| \|
Adam's Company	Elaine	\|
Dare To Strike		\|
scope="row" rowspan="3"\| 2001 \| Looking For Stars \|\| Piggy \|\| \|
The Hotel	Lai Meiling	\|
Three Women and A Half	Xiaoping	\|
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2002 \| Bukit Ho Swee \|\| Wang Qing\|\| \|
Kopi-O II	Shuyun	\|
The Unbeatables III	Dong Meiyao	\|
scope="row"\|2003 \| Holland V \|\| Mo Rourou \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2004 \| Double Happiness \|\| Luo Jiaqian \|\| \|
Double Happiness II	Luo Jiaqian	\|
scope="row"\| 2005 \| Love at 0°C \|\|Liu Siqi \|\| \|
scope="row"\| 2006 \| Time to Heal \|\| \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="3"\| 2007 \| Live Again \|\| Jenny \|\| \|
Making Miracles	Xu Xiuyuan	\|
The Homecoming	Qianyi	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2"\| 2008 \| Just in Singapore \|\| Jinyan \|\| \|
Love Blossoms II	Fan Fan	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2"\| 2011 \| Be Happy \|\| Mable \|\| \|
Love Thy Neighbour	Shanshan	\|
scope="row" rowspan="1" \| 2014 \| World at Your Feet \|\| Mo Lihua \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="1" \| 2015 \| \| Super Senior \|\| Ivy Ji Shanzhong \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="1" \| 2016 \| The Queen \|\| Zeng Jing \| \| {{Cite web \|title=刘子绚招认新恋情徐彬和谢韵仪演床戏直冒汗 \|url=http://tv.toggle.sg/en/channel8/entnews/default-6166972 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206064802/http://tv.toggle.sg/en/channel8/entnews/default-6166972 \|archive-date=6 February 2016}}
scope="row" rowspan="3" \| 2019 \| My One In A Million (我的万里挑一) \|\| Vivian Lai \|\| \|
The Good Fight (致胜出击)	Rourou	\|
A World of Difference (都市狂想)	Rui En	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2" \| 2021 \| Soul Old Yet So Young (心里住着老灵魂) \|\| Cindy Yen \|\| \|
The Heartland Hero	Lexi	\|

=Variety shows=

scope="col" \|Year ! scope="col" \|Title ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference(s)}}
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="row"\|2006 \| Property Classified \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="3"\| 2007 \| On the Beat II \|\| \|
My Beautiful Life	\|
Star Awards Post-Show Party	\|
scope="row" rowspan="7"\| 2008 \| The NTUC Show \|\| \|
Lunar New Year Eve Celebration	\|
Dialect Delights	\|
Bioskin Dreams Come True II	\|
On the Beat III	\|
Amuse Me	\|
DIY My Home	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2"\| 2009 \| My House Husband's Journal 小男人周记 \|\| \|
Amuse U	\|
scope="row"\|2010 \| You Are The Man \|\| \|
scope="row" rowspan="3"\| 2011 \| Sizzling Woks 3 \|\| \|
Ladies Nite	\|
Home Makeover 2	\|
scope="row" rowspan="4"\| 2012 \| My Fair Ladies \|\| \|
Silver Carnival	\|
Simply Exquisite	\|
Dessert Time	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2"\|2013 \| Say It! \|\| \|
Laughing Out Loud	\|
scope="row" rowspan="6"\|2014 \| Eat and Be Merry \|\| \|
Black Rose 2	\|
Style: Check-In 4	Guest Host \|
Say It! 2	\|
Style: Check-In 5	\|
Ladies Nite 3	\|
scope="row" rowspan="3"\|2015 \| Hey Chef! \|\| \|
Hey Gorgeous 2015	\|
The Successor	\|
scope="row" rowspan="2"\|2016 \| Touch Screen Cuisine \|\| \|
What's In The Fridge?	\|
scope="row" rowspan="1"\|2017 \| A Gift for Mum \|\| \|
scope="row"\|2019 \| The Destined One \|Guest Matchmaker \|

Discography

=== Compilation albums ===

Year ! English title ! Mandarin title
class="wikitable sortable"
2012	MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 12	新传媒群星金龙接财神
2018	MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 18	新传媒群星阿狗狗过好年
2019	MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 19	新传媒群星猪饱饱欢乐迎肥年
2020	MediaCorp Music Lunar New Year Album 20	裕鼠鼠纳福迎春了

Accolades

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
Year	Ceremony	Category	Nominated work	Result
2000 \| Star Awards \| Best Newcomer \| {{N/A}} \| {{Nom}}
2001 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
2003 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
rowspan="2"\| 2004 \| rowspan="2"\| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
Best Supporting Actress	Double Happiness {{small\|(as Luo Jiaqian)}}	{{nom}}
2005 \| Star Awards \| Best Supporting Actress \| Double Happiness II {{small\|(as Luo Jiaqian)}}	{{nom}}
2007 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
2009 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
2010 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
2011 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{Won}}
rowspan="2"\| 2012 \| rowspan="2"\| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{Won}}
Best Supporting Actress \| Love Thy Neighbour {{small\|(as Shan Shan)}} \|{{won}}
2013 \| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
rowspan="2"\| 2014 \| rowspan="2"\| Star Awards \| Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
Best Variety Show Host \| Finding U \| {{nom}}
rowspan="3"\| 2015 \| rowspan="3"\| Star Awards \| All-Time Favourite Artiste \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
Star Awards for YES 933 Best Speech \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}
Asian Skin Solutions Most Radiant Skin Award \| {{N/A}} \| {{won}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"

Year

Ceremony