SINGAPORE – Like the quintessential Dragon, actress-host Vivian Lai is always full of energy and ready to take on challenges.
She is also focused and driven, which usually describe those born under this Chinese zodiac sign.
“I like to do things fast and efficiently. Give me a task and I’ll do it for you now, if I can.
“But my daughters say others may misunderstand me as being impatient and short-tempered,” says the 47-year-old, who is married with two girls, aged 14 and 18.
Shrugging, she adds: “Okay, I will try my best to slow down. I’m aware that a hectic lifestyle is not good for health. But it’s really difficult for me to do so. I’m born like this.”
Lai is represented by veteran actor Li Nanxing’s talent management agency LNX Global.
In a separate interview, Li lets on that she is a multitasker who sleeps only four to five hours daily.
To which Lai readily admits with a laugh: “This has been my lifestyle for years. I enjoy having a packed schedule.”
Family remains her top priority, followed by Teabrary, a tea brand she started in 2019 and constantly refreshes with new concepts.
She will soon launch a spin-off: a grab-and-go store selling sandwiches with tea-infused dressing.
Lai, who made her foray into the entertainment industry when she won talent show Star Search in 1999, last acted in Channel 8’s long-form drama The Heartland Hero (2021 to 2022).
These days, she takes projects that fit her schedule, such as co-hosting Channel 8 infomercial series The Wonder Shop.
Recording for the shopping programme takes much less time compared with a drama series, never mind that it is not aired during prime time, she says.
“I’m still a regular face on television. Our auntie viewers see me all the time.”
The Taiwan-born artiste recalls with a laugh: “A grandmother approached me on the street once, saying, ‘I saw you talking about that mop the other day. Is it really so good? If I buy directly from you, can you give me a discount?’”
But she recently returned to acting again, albeit for only two episodes in an upcoming Channel 8 drama tentatively titled Unforgivable, which stars Jesseca Liu, Shane Pow and Brandon Wong.
If time permits, she also volunteers at Voices For Animals, an animal welfare group she became acquainted with after hosting variety programme Say It! (2013) with Chua Enlai.
“I’ll do whatever I’m assigned, from showering the dogs to picking up poo,” she says.
So where does she envision herself when the next Dragon year comes? “When I’m 60, I hope I will still be bubbling with energy and doing what I enjoy. I cannot imagine myself sitting still.”
