Teri Polo

Teri Polo

Polo in April 2014
Born Theresa Elizabeth Polo
(1969-06-01) June 1, 1969
Dover, Delaware, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1986–present
Spouse(s) Anthony Moore (1997–2005; divorced)
Partner(s) Jamie Wollam (2007–2012)
Children 2

Theresa Elizabeth "Teri" Polo (born June 1, 1969) is an American actress. She starred as Pam Byrnes-Focker in the Meet the Parents trilogy (2000-2010). She was one of the stars of the sitcom I'm with Her (2003–2004), had a recurring role as Helen Santos on the political drama series The West Wing (2005–2006) and currently plays the lead role of police officer Stef Adams Foster in the ABC Family series The Fosters (2013–present).

Early life

Polo was born Theresa Elizabeth Polo in Dover, Delaware. Her mother, Jane (née Gentry), is a homemaker, and her father, Vincent Polo, is a stereo systems designer.[1] She studied ballet for 13 years beginning at age five. By age 13, she was attending New York's School of American Ballet. After winning a modeling contest, she moved to New York City at the age of seventeen to pursue an acting career.

Career

Polo's acting debut was in TV 101. She also starred in the 1990 miniseries The Phantom of the Opera as Christine Daae. Polo played Detective Ash on the TV series Brimstone and became a regular cast member on the last season of Northern Exposure. She appeared in a recurring guest role in the sixth and seventh seasons of The West Wing playing the role of Helen Santos, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Matt Santos (Jimmy Smits).

In February 2005, Polo not only appeared on the cover, but posed naked in Playboy. The appearance was linked to the release of Meet the Fockers, with cover text that made similar plays on words such as "She's one hot Focker". She was ranked #40 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2002.[2] She was also featured in InStyle. She also starred in the Lifetime Movie Network 2006 movie, Legacy of Fear. In 2007, she starred in a Hallmark Channel movie "Love Is A Four Letter Word". In 2009, she starred in the feature film 2:13 and the Hallmark Channel TV movie Expecting a Miracle with Jason Priestley and Cheech Marin. That same year she also starred in The Beacon (2009).[3]

She was in the 2009 television pilot for Washington Field. The show was about the National Capital Response Squad, a unit of the FBI composed of elite experts in different areas who travel around the world, responding to events that concern American interest. In 2010, Polo reprised her role as Pam Focker in Little Fockers, the sequel to Meet the Parents (2000) and Meet the Fockers (2004). She appeared in the 1980s-styled horror fantasy film, The Hole. She currently is in the ABC Family series The Fosters.[4] Polo plays San Diego police officer Stef Adams Foster, a mother to three children (one from a previous marriage) and the wife of Lena Adams Foster (Sherri Saum), along with the two being foster parents to two children.

Polo has guest-starred on many TV shows, including The Practice, Felicity, Chicago Hope, Numb3rs, Sports Night, Frasier, Ghost Whisperer, Medium, Law & Order: LA, Castle and Criminal Minds.

Personal life

In April 1997, Polo married photographer Anthony Moore. They have a son together, Griffin (born 2002). In 2005, Polo and Moore divorced.

In 2006, while on the set of a video, Polo met drummer Jamie Wollam (of the bands Avion, Venice and recently Drake Bell). They have a daughter together, Bayley (born 2007). The couple separated sometime in 2012.[5]

In April 2014, Polo filed for bankruptcy, declaring less than $50,000 in assets and debts in excess of $800,000.[6][7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Born to Ride Beryl Ann Devers
1991 Mystery Date Geena Matthews
1992 Passed Away Rachel Scanlan
1993 Aspen Extreme Robin Hand
1993 Quick Quick
1993 House of the Spirits, TheThe House of the Spirits Rosa del Valle
1994 Golden Gate Cynthia
1996 Arrival, TheThe Arrival Char
2000 Meet the Parents Pam Byrnes
2001 Unsaid, TheThe Unsaid Barbara Lonigan
2001 Domestic Disturbance Susan
2003 Straight From the Heart Jordan Donovan
2003 Beyond Borders Charlotte Jordan
2004 Meet the Fockers Pam Byrnes-Focker
2007 Full of It Mrs. Moran
2009 2:13 Amanda Richardson
2009 Hole, TheThe Hole Susan
2009 Beacon, TheThe Beacon Bryn Shaw
2010 Little Fockers Pam Focker
2012 Beyond Sarah Noble
2012 Christmas Angel
2013 Final Recourse Brooke Holton
2013 The Last Session Elizabeth Queen Short film
2014 Authors Anonymous Colette Mooney
2014 A Bit of Bad Luck Amanda
2014 Mr Maple Leaf Alex Short film
2015 Blood Shy Liz Steadman Post-production
2016 Outlaws and Angels Ada Tildon

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Loving Kristin Larsen TV series
1988–1989 TV 101 Amanda Hampton 13 episodes
1990 Phantom of the Opera, TheThe Phantom of the Opera Christine Daaé TV movie
1990 People Like Us Justine Altemus Slatkin TV movie
1994 Due South Stephanie Cabot Episode: "They Eat Horses, Don't They?"
1994 Tales from the Crypt Sheila Episode: "Revenge Is the Nuts"
1994–1995 Northern Exposure Michelle Schodowski Capra 15 episodes
1995 Chicago Hope Nurse Sarah Jane Petty Episode: "Heartbreak"
1996 Full Circle Tana Roberts TV movie
1997 Van Helsing Chronicles Helena Harker TV movie
1997 Prayer in the Dark, AA Prayer in the Dark Janet Hayworth TV movie
1997 House of Frankenstein Grace Dawkins TV movie
1998 Texarkana TV movie
1998 Father for Brittany, AA Father for Brittany Kim Lussier TV movie
1998 Outer Limits, TheThe Outer Limits Sally McCoy Episode: "Identity Crisis"
1998 Marriage Fool, TheThe Marriage Fool (Love After Death) Susan Prescot TV movie
1998–1999 Brimstone Det. Sgt. Delilah Ash / Ashur Badaktu 6 episodes
1999 Sugar Hill TV series
1999 Felicity Maggie Sherwood 5 episodes
1999–2000 Sports Night Rebecca Wells 8 episodes
2000 Frasier Abby Michaels Episode: "Legal Tender Love and Care"
2002 Second String Connie Heller TV movie
2003 Straight from the Heart Jordan Donovan TV movie
2003 L.A. Dragnet Jessie Ross Episode: "All That Glitters"
2003 Practice, TheThe Practice Sarah Barker 5 episodes
2003–2004 I'm with Her Alex Young 22 episodes
2005–2006 West Wing, TheThe West Wing Helen Santos 18 episodes
2006 Welcome to the Jungle Gym TV movie
2006 For the Love of a Child Yvonne TV movie
2006 Legacy of Fear Det. Jeanne 'JJ' Joyce TV movie
2007 Numb3rs Rachel Willons Episode: "Nine Wives"
2007 Love Is a Four Letter Word Emily Bennett TV movie
2007 Wedding Bells, TheThe Wedding Bells Jane Bell 4 episodes
2008 Finnegan Det. Erin Finnegan TV movie
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dana Kelley Episode: "Confession"
2008 CSI: Miami Jill Walsh Episode: "Gone Baby Gone"
2009 Expecting a Miracle Donna Stanhope TV movie
2009 Ghost Whisperer Nikki Episode: "This Joint's Haunted"
Episode: "Body of Water"
2009 Storm, TheThe Storm Danni Nelson Episode: "The Storm: Part 1"
2009 Drop Dead Diva Jillian Ford Episode: "The Magic Bullet"
2009 Monk Stephanie Briggs Episode: "Mr. Monk Is the Best Man"
2009 Washington Field SA Amanda Diaz TV movie
2010 Medium Mary-Louise Graff Episode: "It's a Wonderful Death"
2010 Glory Daze Prof. Larsen Episode: "Pilot"
Episode: "Fake Me Home Tonight"
2010–2011 Law & Order: LA Casey Winters Episode: "Echo Park"
Episode: "Zuma Canyon"
Episode: "Hayden Tract"
2011 Castle Kayla Baron Episode: "Pretty Dead"
2011 We Have Your Husband Jayne Valseca TV movie
2011 Man Up! Theresa Hayden Keen 10 episodes
2012 A Taste of Romance Sara Westbrook TV movie
2012 Criminal Minds Maggie Hallman Episode: "I Love You, Tommy Brown" as a Spree Killer
2012 The Christmas Heart Ann Norman TV movie
2012 Christmas Angel Melinda Davis TV movie
2013–present The Fosters Stef Adams Foster Lead role
2014 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Cordelia Bauer Episode: "American Disgrace"
2014 The Christmas Shepherd Sally Brown TV movie
2015 Romantically Speaking Penny TV movie
2015 Love, Again Chloe Baker TV movie
2016 Royal Pains Diana Underhill Episode: "Stranger Danger"
2016 The $100,000 Pyramid Herself (celebrity guest) Episode: Teri Polo vs. Zachary Levi
2016 JL Ranch Rebecca Landsburg TV film; in post-production
2016 Conviction Penny Price Episode: "Mother's Little Burden"

References

  1. "Teri Polo Biography (1969-)". filmreference.com.
  2. "FreeJose.com". Maxim Magazine Hot 100 Women of 2002. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  3. "First Images From 'The Beacon', Texas Screenings! -". bloody-disgusting.com.
  4. "Stef Foster". ABC Family.
  5. "Teri Polo Welcomes Baby Girl". People. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
  6. "Teri Polo Files for Bankruptcy". PEOPLE.com.
  7. MoneyFeedsMe.com, "35 Celebrities Who Are Broke"Retrieved November 14, 2016

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