Lauren Shiohama (born March 27, 1982 in Newport Beach, California) is an American model and known to TV game show audiences as Briefcase Model #8 on the NBC game show Deal or No Deal. She is of Japanese and Chinese descent.
She graduated from the University of Southern California in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in business administration. Prior to pursuing modeling and acting full-time, Shiohama had aspirations for a career in business. But after receiving helpful advice from a family friend, Lauren decided to take the plunge as she made the move to Los Angeles in hopes of pursuing her dream career in the entertainment industry.
In 2006, she made her feature film debut in Little Miss Sunshine, which won a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) Award for Best Ensemble Cast.
Also in 2006, Lauren would soon be seen on TV screens across the country after she was one of few newbies to join the ranks as a Briefcase Model on the NBC game show Deal or No Deal during its second season. She stood beside Briefcase #8 for seasons two and three and then moved over to Briefcase #12 to replace Jill Manas during the show's fourth and final season. In season five, she was replaced by Sarati.
Case #8, along with 3 and 17, is the most chosen case in the whole series, having been picked 19 times in the original.
In November 8, 2008, Lauren appeared during the iWeb Awards when iCarly won in the episode "iGo To Japan".
In an effort to take her acting career further, Shiohama has been studying at the Michael Woolsen Studio and while acting is her first love, Lauren has continued to pursue a career in the modeling industry as well. She has been featured in a Lincoln Mercury commercial and has done numerous print ad campaigns for companies including Macy's, Nike, Target, 24 Hour Fitness, Shape magazine, Cosmopolitan and Glamour magazine.
