Nicknamed by the Hong Kong media as the "Goddess of Beauty" (愛美神),[1][2] she is best known for her roles in The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber (2000), War and Beauty (2004), for which she won the TVB Anniversary Award for Best Actress, The Charm Beneath (2005), The Dance of Passion (2006), and The Gem of Life (2009).

In her early acting career, Lai turned down roles that she felt compromised her public persona.

Lai also performed in several box office hits, including the Young and Dangerous film series.

At the premiere of The Gem of Life, Lai announced that she would be retiring from the industry to concentrate on looking after her brother's business[5][6] after he was seriously injured in a car accident in 2007.

[9] In March 2010, Lai confirmed that she was pregnant with twins,[10][11] and on July 25, 2010, she gave birth to two girls, Patricia and Gianna.