Zhao Wei attended elementary school (Shifan fuxiao) and middle school (17th Secondary School Shifan). After deciding to pursue an acting career, Zhao attended Beijing Film University from the year 2000. She quickly became popular by playing the role of Little Swallow in the TV series My Fair Princess in 1997. In 1999, she won a Golden Eagle Award for best actress. That same year, Zhao also began singing and released her first album, Swallow. After that, she continued to act in hit TV shows, a few movies and released albums that sold very well. In 2004, she won the title of Most Popular Actress at the 11th Beijing Student Film Festival for her role in Warriors of the Celestial Empire.