Lai Weiming (赖伟明)

Lai Weiming is a rising star who broke through as the unforgettable second male lead "Zhuang Xu" in the 2025 hit drama The Best Thing (骄阳似我), where his portrayal of a proud, impoverished academic with a hidden tender heart earned him a massive fan following overnight and cemented his reputation as one of the most promising newcomers of his generation. A graduate in safety engineering from the University of South China, he took an unconventional path to acting—starting with short videos made to pass the time in his dormitory, which unexpectedly caught the attention of netizens and opened the door to a new career. In less than three years, he has accumulated an impressive portfolio, from When I Fly Towards You (当我飞奔向你) to The Grand Princess (大梦归离) and The Best Thing, with his "fragile" and emotionally layered performances striking a chord with audiences who see him as a "hidden treasure" in the making.

Breakthrough Role Lai's career-defining performance came in December 2025 with the urban romance drama The Best Thing, adapted from Gu Man's bestselling novel of the same name. He played Zhuang Xu, the brilliant but impoverished academic rival to the male lead, whose pride, insecurity, and suppressed feelings for the heroine Nie Xiguang (Zhao Jinmai) made him a tragic yet deeply relatable figure. His elevator crying scene and a snow‑chase confession became viral moments, with viewers praising his ability to convey the character's "fragile sense of pride" and emotional turmoil with remarkable depth. The role earned him a surge of over one million followers on Weibo, an outpouring of fan support, and the prestigious "Annual New Face of TV Drama" award at the Tencent Video Starlight Awards—a clear testament to his breakout success.

Public Perception Today, Lai Weiming is widely seen as a rising actor with exceptional potential and a distinctively "modest yet ambitious" public image. His educational background in safety engineering from a respected university, combined with his self‑taught journey into acting and his candid reflections on his craft, have made him a relatable and inspirational figure, particularly among younger audiences. Off‑screen, he is described as humble and introspective—after the success of The Best Thing, he wrote a lengthy reflection on social media defending Zhuang Xu's complexity, demonstrating a genuine connection to his characters that resonates with viewers. In the industry, he has earned respect for his steady accumulation of quality roles, from When I Fly Towards You and The Grand Princess to major upcoming projects including The Best Thing, Midnight Tales (子夜归), The Genius Girlfriend (天才女友), Precious Pearl (宝珠), and All Flowers Kill (百花杀), where he continues to expand his range across costume and modern genres. Though he has yet to headline a major production as the sole lead, his rapid rise, growing filmography, and loyal fanbase position him as one of the most closely watched talents of his generation—widely regarded by critics and audiences alike as an actor on the cusp of true stardom.