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    <filerInfo>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
      <filer>
        <issuerCredentials>
          <cik>0000717347</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
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      <flags>
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        <overrideInternetFlag>false</overrideInternetFlag>
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      <investmentCompanyType>N-6</investmentCompanyType>
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        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000011864</classId>
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        <classInfo>
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  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <generalInfo isReportPeriodLt12="N" reportEndingPeriod="2019-12-31"/>
    <registrantInfo>
      <registrantFullName>New England Variable Life Separate Account</registrantFullName>
      <investmentCompFileNo>811-03713</investmentCompFileNo>
      <registrantCik>0000717347</registrantCik>
      <registrantLei>54930046O2H13WQ4QQ58</registrantLei>
      <registrantstreet1>One Financial Center</registrantstreet1>
      <registrantstreet2>21st Floor</registrantstreet2>
      <registrantcity>Boston</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>02111</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-MA</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>980-365-7100</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="https://www.brighthousefinancial.com"/>
      </websites>
      <locationBooksRecords>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>New England Life Insurance Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>One Financial Center</officeAddress1>
          <officeAddress2>21st Floor</officeAddress2>
          <officeCity>Boston</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-MA" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>02111</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Books and Records relating to the Depositor (New England Life Insurance Company) and Registrant ("New England Variable Life Separate Account").</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>New England Life Insurance Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>11225 North Community House Road</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Charlotte</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-NC" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>28277</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Books and Records relating to the Depositor (New England Life Insurance Company) and Registrant ("New England Variable Life Separate Account").</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Brighthouse Securities, LLC</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>11225 North Community House Road</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Charlotte</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-NC" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>28277</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Books and Records relating to the distribution of the policies.</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Brighthouse Financial</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>12802 Tampa Oaks Blvd</officeAddress1>
          <officeAddress2>Suite 447</officeAddress2>
          <officeCity>Temple Terrace</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-FL" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>33637</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
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        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Brighthouse Financial</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>One Financial Center</officeAddress1>
          <officeAddress2>21st Floor</officeAddress2>
          <officeCity>Boston</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-MA" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>02111</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Regulatory filings and Records relating to the Separate Account.</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Metropolitan Life Insurance Company</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>700 Quaker Lane</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Warwick</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-RI" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>02886</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Administrative Books and Records relating to the variable life policies.</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>MetLife Services and Solutions, LLC</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>700 Quaker Lane</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Warwick</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-RI" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>02886</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Administrative Books and Records relating to the variable life policies.</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Computer Sciences Corporation/Alliance-One Services, Inc.</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>700 Quaker Lane</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Warwick</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-RI" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>02886</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>980-365-7100</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Administrative Books and Records relating to the variable life policies.</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
      </locationBooksRecords>
      <isRegistrantFirstFiling>N</isRegistrantFirstFiling>
      <isRegistrantLastFiling>N</isRegistrantLastFiling>
      <registrantFamilyInvComp familyInvCompFullName="Brighthouse Financial" isRegistrantFamilyInvComp="Y"/>
      <registrantClassificationType>N-6</registrantClassificationType>
      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>Y</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Jeffrey Halperin</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>002899327</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>11225 North Community House Road</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>Charlotte</ccoCity>
          <ccoStateCountry ccoState="US-NC" ccoCountry="US"/>
          <ccoZipCode>28277</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
          <ccoEmployers>
            <ccoEmployer ccoEmployerName="Brighthouse Services, LLC" ccoEmployerId="81-3094008"/>
          </ccoEmployers>
        </chiefComplianceOfficer>
      </chiefComplianceOfficers>
      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <releaseNumbers isExemptionFromAct="Y">
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-22881"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-20005"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-19805"/>
        <releaseNumberInfo releaseNumber="IC-16395"/>
      </releaseNumbers>
      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>Brighthouse Securities, LLC</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>008-69845</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>000285300</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>N/A</principalUnderwriterLei>
          <principalUnderWriterStateCountry principalUnderWriterState="US-NC" principalUnderWriterCountry="US"/>
          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
        </principalUnderwriter>
      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>Deloitte &amp; Touche LLP</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>34</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>N/A</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantState="US-NY" publicAccountantCountry="US"/>
        </publicAccountant>
      </publicAccountants>
      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
    </registrantInfo>
    <unitInvestmentTrust>
      <depositors>
        <depositor>
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          <depositorCrdNo>N/A</depositorCrdNo>
          <depositorLei>5493002GAFIYHT4M3C66</depositorLei>
          <depositorStateCountry depositorState="US-MA" depositorCountry="US"/>
          <depositorUltimateParentname>Brighthouse Financial, Inc.</depositorUltimateParentname>
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      </depositors>
      <uitAdmins>
        <uitAdmin>
          <uitAdminName>Metropolitan Life Insurance Company</uitAdminName>
          <uitAdminLei>N/A</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminDescOtherNumber>N/A</uitAdminDescOtherNumber>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminState="US-RI" uitAdminCountry="US"/>
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          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
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        <uitAdmin>
          <uitAdminName>MetLife Services and Solutions, LLC</uitAdminName>
          <uitAdminLei>N/A</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminDescOtherNumber>N/A</uitAdminDescOtherNumber>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminState="US-RI" uitAdminCountry="US"/>
          <isUitAdminAffiliated>N</isUitAdminAffiliated>
          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
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        <uitAdmin>
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          <uitAdminLei>N/A</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminDescOtherNumber>N/A</uitAdminDescOtherNumber>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminState="US-RI" uitAdminCountry="US"/>
          <isUitAdminAffiliated>N</isUitAdminAffiliated>
          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
        </uitAdmin>
      </uitAdmins>
      <isUitAdminHiredTerminated>N</isUitAdminHiredTerminated>
      <registrantSeparateInsuranceAccount isRegistrantSeparateInsuranceAccount="Y" separateAccountSeriesId="S000004217"/>
      <numOfContracts>73086</numOfContracts>
      <contractSecurities>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Flexible Life 2002" separateAccountContractId="C000011863" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="108" separateAccountTotalAsset="333186596.00" grossPremiumReceived="21622646.00" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="17124890.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="6405783.00"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Survivorship Life 2002 and Zenith Survivorship Life Plus" separateAccountContractId="C000011864" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="5" separateAccountTotalAsset="215068741.00" grossPremiumReceived="4682592.00" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="3988184.68" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="1027430.12"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Enterprise Executive Advantage and Zenith Executive Advantage 2000" separateAccountContractId="C000011865" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="5" separateAccountTotalAsset="268977455.339999" grossPremiumReceived="1593115.69" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="13563490.09" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="185879.07"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Flexible Life 2001" separateAccountContractId="C000011866" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="170" separateAccountTotalAsset="581017708.25" grossPremiumReceived="19231812.23" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="30567180.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="11053446.00"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Life" separateAccountContractId="C000023045" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="21" separateAccountTotalAsset="64136118.11" grossPremiumReceived="334383.18" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="2797534.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="1080789.00"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Life One" separateAccountContractId="C000023046" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0" separateAccountTotalAsset="35938850.99" grossPremiumReceived="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="1806466.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Life Plus" separateAccountContractId="C000023047" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="98" separateAccountTotalAsset="382483336.00" grossPremiumReceived="7021655.40" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="20993868.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="8915389.00"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Life Plus II" separateAccountContractId="C000023048" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="132" separateAccountTotalAsset="462462329.320002" grossPremiumReceived="15429616.27" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="24794605.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="6283618.00"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Life Executive 65" separateAccountContractId="C000023049" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="1" separateAccountTotalAsset="16069057.00" grossPremiumReceived="174248.00" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="481091.66" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="269970.41"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Survivorship Life" separateAccountContractId="C000023050" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="1" separateAccountTotalAsset="187434192.00" grossPremiumReceived="4769561.00" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="5437548.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="121260.68"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Flexible Life" separateAccountContractId="C000023051" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="207" separateAccountTotalAsset="857914268.540001" grossPremiumReceived="38868144.00" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="48405088.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="11844558.00"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="American Gateway Series" separateAccountContractId="C000023052" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="1" separateAccountTotalAsset="12659582.00" grossPremiumReceived="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="1055309.00" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="177605.00"/>
        <contractSecurity separateAccountSecurityName="Zenith Variable Whole Life" separateAccountContractId="C000023053" numContractsSold="0" numContractsAffected="0" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="6" separateAccountTotalAsset="29161097.00" grossPremiumReceived="833927.00" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" contractValueRedeemed="676133.19" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="118933.39"/>
      </contractSecurities>
      <isRule6C7Reliance>N</isRule6C7Reliance>
      <isRule11A2Reliance>Y</isRule11A2Reliance>
    </unitInvestmentTrust>
    <attachmentsTab>
      <isLegalProceedings>false</isLegalProceedings>
      <isProvisionFinancialSupport>false</isProvisionFinancialSupport>
      <isIPAReportInternalControl>false</isIPAReportInternalControl>
      <isChangeAccPrinciples>false</isChangeAccPrinciples>
      <isInfoRequiredEO>false</isInfoRequiredEO>
      <isOtherInfoRequired>false</isOtherInfoRequired>
    </attachmentsTab>
    <signature registrantSignedName="New England Variable Life Separate Account" signature="Kevin G. Finneran" title="Vice President" signedDate="2020-03-11"/>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
