Berite Labelle has always been passionate about expression in all its forms. Even as a young girl of six, she already had an affinity for fashion and the dramatic. Today, Berite is a successful international model, dancer, and actress who has worked with some of the world’s leading photographers and brands across Europe. She is also currently working on her own short film production. But things were not always so rosy for the 28-year-old. The LA-based talent is no stranger to adversity and sorrow.
“My upbringing was challenging, but I have always persevered. My past hardship serves as a constant reminder that I can create a life full of dreams,” she says. “My work reflects my past experiences and all that life has taught me. It wasn’t always easy, but it made me who I am today and I am proud of myself. Now, I want to share my experiences with others through acting,” she says.
Growing Pains
Berite was born in Tiraspol, Moldova, a small Eastern European country that used to be a part of Russia. Her Chadian father and Moldovan-Russian mother separated when Berite was 6 years old. “My father worked for the United Nations. We were always traveling, and starting again in new locations. I left my hometown at the age of six and didn’t see my mother for the next 20 years,” Berite says.
For the next eight years, Berite traveled with her father, as he moved around the world. The constant cultural adjustments were not always easy for the impressionable young girl.
“When I arrived in Switzerland, I was the only girl of color speaking Russian. I was placed in a special school attending a class of eight with two teachers because they thought that maybe I wasn’t able to follow a ‘normal’ program for my age. Later, in France, I found myself regressing in three classes to get my French grammar to a sufficient level to continue to attend school. I have always been tall and at that time I was with children three years younger than me – it was really weird to be the only one so tall. I guess I learned how to own myself being different, and I developed the confidence to continue to learn. They tried to give me the most of their teaching and I am grateful that I passed these days to perfect my student skills,” she recalls.
Before Berite’s father passed away from cancer when she was just 14, she lived in Morocco and the Ivory Coast with him and his new wife, also from Russia. She enjoyed being part of a family again and became the big sister of a boy and a girl who were significantly younger than her. She took this time to improve her French with private teachers before she was sent to a private boarding school in France by her aunt, who was her guardian. Emotionally exhausted, she vowed to make her father proud. Soon she started getting the top grades in her class.
“I realized that I was completely alone and I wanted to do well. It turns out that I wasn’t as stupid as some people had made me feel,” she says.
Despite her success at school, trouble continued to follow Berite into adolescence. “At 17, I got mixed up in a bad relationship and certain habits that took a toll on my mental well-being. I suffered for a long time but in the end, I was able to pull myself together. I realized that I was in charge of my life and my future,” she says. “I knew that if I could survive all that, I could do anything.”
Turning Things Around
Photo Credit: Daria Gladkova
Spurred on by her commitment to make something of herself, Berite decided that she would not let adversity dictate her life. She started a diploma in commerce while working as an intern at Bucherer 1888, an internationally-renowned Swiss jewelry and watchmaking brand that specializes in up-scale timepieces such as Omega, Rolex, and Audemars Piguet.
She also started to notice that people on the street and at work kept asking if she was a model. “I have respect and love for every profession I have had the chance to work in, but I always wanted to be a model and actor,” she says. “At times, it was frustrating because I felt that I belonged on the runway.” Berite got her first modeling gig at the age of 22. “It was a job for Bank Dukaskopy. Each month, I would walk on a runway wearing top brands such as La Perla, Aubade, Bongénie Grieder, Faberge at the Four Seasons Hotel in Geneva. This was in 2015 when I was a freelance model,” she says, adding that today she is represented by Truth Management and Ryan Colby Management.
One of Berite‘s other achievements includes winning the 2019 World Championship of Performing Arts in Long Beach, California, in various categories, including ‘Spoken Model’.
“This highlighted to me how much I love communicating in different languages,” she says. “I speak Russian, French, English, and a bit of Spanish. I am currently studying ancient Greek for the character in my upcoming film. I also want to learn Chinese and Arabic. I have all the books, I am just waiting to have a bit more time.”
Reaching for the Stars
Photo Credit: Daria Gladkova
Berite is currently working on a short film she wrote while studying at the New York Film Academy on a partial scholarship last year. The story depicts the lives of two iconic women – Mary Wollstonecraft and Cleopatra. She says that both the 18th-century advocate of women’s rights and the ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt have been her inspirations. “I resonate with these characters. Particularly, their independence and determination,” she says.
It is her husband who encouraged her to pursue an acting career. “Knowing how much I love acting, my fiancé, whom I since married, advised me to take as many theatrical classes as I could. I participated in workshops in England, Los Angeles, New York City, and Paris. Finally, I spent a few months with a theatrical company in Geneva.”
According to Berite, it was her modeling career that gave her the confidence to take things to the next level as an actress. “It’s all the fashion shows I did that developed my confidence to perform live in public. I decided to make things more challenging by performing as an actor, never being afraid to step out of my comfort zone. I was ready to be vulnerable and heal my pain by sharing my universe with others as an actor.”
Words of Advice
According to Berite, making it in the entertainment industry is about more than just talent. It also requires business smarts and emotional intelligence. “The entertainment industry can be incredibly stressful, and stress can eat you up if you have no emotional intelligence and perspective,” Berite says. “It can be easy to get lost in all of this; feel like you need to make the most of every hour in the day. That’s why it’s important to be able to take a moment for yourself and relax.”
She also says that lifestyle is not all glitz and glamor. In fact, it can be isolating and terribly lonely. Berite’s greatest sacrifice is being away from her husband. “My husband lives in Geneva, and I’m alone in Los Angeles working on a career that doesn’t give me much time to spend with friends. But I’m determined to make my dreams come true. I’m also really grateful that my husband always supports me in my choices and motivates me to reach my goals.”
Having overcome severe hardship, Berite is thankful to be able to pursue her dreams. She also hopes that one day she will be able to help those in need. “I’ve learned that self-care and self-love are very important. When you build your own routine and know how to love yourself, you can love others and take care of them without forgetting your own needs,” she says.
“Once I make enough money, I am hoping to be able to start a foundation to help disadvantaged children in my father’s country Chad. I am also dreaming of helping children in Thailand and actually as many countries as I can. It’s important that we all try to do as much as we can to bring joy into our lives.”
