Acting up

Actress inspired by faith and work

When you think of an actress, you may envision a young, thin, tall, and beautiful woman. Well, I don’t fit that image at all,” says Cuban actress Marlene Forte. TV viewers, however, who have watched episodes of CSI: Miami, The West Wing, Bones, and The George Lopez Show, may find her to be a very attractive person.

What Marlene has, in addition to a great sense of humor and Latina charisma, is great determination and strength. “I was over 30 years old when I began my acting career, but it was not a hasty decision. I always knew this is what I wanted to do. I got married very young but we were just two kids playing house, and it did not work out. I spent the next 15 years raising my daughter and I have no regrets. I put my calling on hold and when my daughter was a little older, I decided it was time to concentrate on my real passion.”

Inspired by the faith and hard work of her Cuban parents, who were exiled without any resources, Forte learned to fight and put her trust in God, who gives life to everything. “I may not be a typical actress, but I would not change anything in my life,” Forte says. “The most important thing in life is to have faith in something. It is often difficult to have faith in this world we live in. But faith is what makes you get up every morning to continue with your life and vision.”

Acting was not an easy road to follow. Forte crossed the Hudson (from New Jersey to Manhattan, where she rented a room) and did a little of everything until she tried out for Latino Actors. Without any experience, she co-founded the LABrynth Theater Company, which today has become one of the largest companies for Latino actors. Forte has appeared in such movies as Real Women Have Curves and received an award from the New York International Latino Film Festival in 2005. She is currently working on ABC’s Day Break and appears in several episodes of The Unit on CBS.

“We have tremendous power within us and we probably would never realize it, were it not for the difficulties we encounter. The experiences I have lived have made me who I am today,” she says.

Your turn

What are your goals for the future? What must you sacrifice to achieve them? What motivates you? What gets you out of bed every morning?