Scars come in all shapes and sizes, and they are not always physical. Emotional scars can run deep and stop us from achieving our potential. While we cannot undo past events, we can use them as learning experiences that drive us to achieve our goals.
This is precisely what Berite Labelle has done. The Moldovan-born international model, actress, and writer has successfully turned a troubled childhood into a flourishing career. And she credits her emotional intelligence for enabling her to rise above adversity.
“I went through a lot of difficulties in my life, particularly in early childhood and as a teenager,” says the 29-year-old. “Luckily these experiences have only strengthened my ability to deal with problems; to be resilient and patient. I am a perfectionist, but this doesn’t mean that I am not willing to change my point of view. I am very open to learning from the people around me. And more than anything I am committed to achieving my goals even though I have to re-question myself.”
Trials And Tribulations
Berite was born in Tiraspol, Moldova, a tiny Eastern European country that was a part of Russia until 1991. Her Moldovan-Russian mother and Chadian father separated when Berite was just six years old. She then joined her father on his global missions as a United Nations official.
“I left my hometown and didn’t see my mother again for 20 years. While I had access to education, moving around and blending in wasn’t so easy. It felt like we were always starting over,” she explains. ‘When we first arrived in Switzerland, I was placed in special classes. The teachers didn’t know what to do with me because I didn’t speak the language and wasn’t fitting in.”
Berite hit one of her lowest points after her father succumbed to cancer when she was 14. Young and alone, she ended up at a boarding school in France where her academic performance gradually improved.
“My father’s passing was a shock. I realized that I needed to stand on my own two feet. Plus, I wanted to make my dad proud,” she says, adding that in the end, it turned out that she was more intelligent than everybody around her thought.
More trouble followed. At the tender age of 17, Berite got mixed up with some bad company and picked up habits that once again saw her hit rock bottom. Instead of breaking her, however, Berite’s challenging experiences and lack of parental guidance only made the young woman more determined to succeed.
“I wasn’t happy for a long time, but in the end, I was able to pull myself out of that dark hole,” she says. “I figured, if I could deal with whatever life had already thrown at me, I could survive anything. I persevered. My hardship was a constant reminder that I could achieve anything. It reignited my commitment to reaching my dreams.”
Early Ambitions
Berite’s dreams of becoming a model were sparked at the age of five when her father’s colleague told her that one day she would become a model. Later, as a teenager, unable to locate her mother, Berite vowed to herself that she would become an international celebrity; that one day her mother would see her on television or in magazines. “Even when I was six, my favorite channel was Fashion TV. My dad would record the shows for me so I could watch them during our trips around the world,” Berite recalls.
Her interest gradually turned to acting. Just before passing away, Berite’s father encouraged the young girl to take acting classes. However, it was to be a while before Berite would stretch her acting muscles. “It took years before I started taking theatrical classes. Actually, it was only after my fiancé, who is now my husband, advised me to do what I love that I decided to pursue this path,” she explains. “I have done workshops in Los Angeles, New York, London, and Paris. I even joined a theatrical on-stage company in Geneva for a few months.”
The Hard Work Pays Off
Today, the LA-based model is in charge of her life and career. While she is now represented by globally renowned talent agencies including Truth Management and Colby Management, she had to build her career from the ground up. Berite says she got her first modeling gig while working as an intern at Bucherer 1888, a renowned Swiss jewelry and watch brand. “It was a job with Bank Dukaskopy back in 2015 when I was a freelance model. Once a month, I would showcase top brands such as Bongenie-Grieder, La Perla, and Aubade at the 4 Seasons Hotel in Geneva.”
Over the years, Berite has appeared in top-tier fashion shows and events across Europe, including Le Bal des Créateurs and the Dukascopy Fashion Show. She has also worked with some of the world’s most famous photographers and brands. Nevertheless, one of the achievements she is most proud of is winning the 2019 World Championship of Performing Arts in Long Beach, California, in multiple categories, including Spoken Model, and Comic and Dramatic Monologues. The effort won her a partial scholarship at the New York Film Academy where she wrote a script for a short film she is about to star in.
“The film is about the lives of two historic women whom I look up to. Even though the Egyptian ruler Cleopatra and 18th-century feminist philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft lived in very different times, I am honored to be able to portray their lives in my short film,” she says. “I’ve built my confidence during all the fashion shows I’ve appeared in. Now I have decided to challenge myself even further as an actress and what better way to do it than by depicting the lives of these strong and determined women.”
Berite’s story is one of remarkable resilience. Despite a lack of traditional family life and parental direction, she has led a life full of passion and strength. And she continues to pursue her dreams, even if it means stepping out of her comfort zone.
