Teri Polo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Teri Polo
Polo at 2014 GLAAD Media Awards
Born	Theresa Elizabeth Polo (1969-06-01) June 1, 1969 (age 56) Dover, Delaware, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Spouse(s)	Anthony Moore ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 2005)​
Partner(s)	Jamie Wollam (2007–2012)
Children	2

Theresa Elizabeth Polo (born June 1, 1969), known as Teri Polo, is an American actress. She is famous for playing Pam Focker in the Meet the Parents movies. She also played Stef Adams Foster, a police officer, in the TV show The Fosters (2013–2018) and its spin-off Good Trouble.

Early Life and Beginnings

Teri Polo was born on June 1, 1969, in Dover, Delaware. Her mom, Jane, was a homemaker, and her dad, Vincent, designed stereo systems. Teri has Italian, English, and German family roots.

She started studying ballet when she was five years old and continued for 13 years. By age 13, she was attending the famous School of American Ballet in New York. After winning a modeling contest, she moved to New York City at 17 to start her acting career.

Acting Career Highlights

Teri Polo began her acting journey in 1987 on the TV show Loving. The next year, she got a role in the show TV 101. She also starred as Christine Daaé in the 1990 miniseries The Phantom of the Opera.

Becoming a Movie Star

In 2000, Teri Polo became very well-known for her role as Pam Byrnes in the comedy movie Meet the Parents. She acted alongside famous stars like Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. The next year, she was in the thriller movie Domestic Disturbance with John Travolta.

She played Pam again in 2004 in Meet the Fockers, which was the sequel to Meet the Parents. In 2010, she returned as Pam Focker for the third movie, Little Fockers.

Television Roles

Teri Polo has had many important roles on TV. She was a regular on the last season of Northern Exposure in 1994. She also played Detective Ash in the TV series Brimstone.

She appeared in the TV show The West Wing as Helen Santos, the wife of a presidential candidate.

In 2013, Teri Polo got a main role in the ABC Family series The Fosters. She played Stef Adams Foster, a police officer. Her character was married to Lena Adams Foster, played by Sherri Saum. Together, they raised five biological, foster, and adopted children.

After The Fosters finished in 2018, Teri continued her role as Stef Adams Foster in the spin-off show Good Trouble.

Teri Polo has also been a guest star on many other TV shows. These include The Practice, Felicity, Chicago Hope, Numb3rs, Frasier, Ghost Whisperer, Medium, Castle, and Criminal Minds.

In 2021, she starred as Julia Perkins in the Fox series The Big Leap. This role brought her back to her love for dance, as her character was a former ballet dancer.

Personal Life

In April 1997, Teri Polo married photographer Anthony Moore. They have a son named Griffin, who was born in 2002. They divorced in 2003.

In 2006, Teri met drummer Jamie Wollam. They had a daughter named Bayley in 2007. Teri and Jamie ended their relationship in 2012.

Film and Television Appearances

Teri Polo has appeared in many movies and TV shows throughout her career. Here are some of her notable works:

Movies

Television Shows

Images for kids

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  Teri Polo at the 2014 GLAAD Media Awards

See also

In Spanish: Teri Polo para niños