Teri Polo
Teri Polo | |
|---|---|
 Polo in April 2014 | |
| Born | Theresa Elizabeth Polo June 1, 1969 Dover, Delaware, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse | Anthony Moore (1997–2005; divorced) |
| Partner | 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 appeared on the cover of playboy, and posed nude 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 #42 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]
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 | The House of the Spirits | Rosa del Valle | |
| 1994 | Golden Gate | Cynthia | |
| 1996 | The Arrival | Char | |
| 2000 | Meet the Parents | Pam Byrnes | |
| 2001 | The 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 | The Hole | Susan | |
| 2009 | The Beacon | Bryn Shaw | |
| 2010 | Little Fockers | Pam Focker | |
| 2012 | Beyond | Sarah Noble | |
| 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 | |
| 2016 | JL Ranch | Filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Loving | Kristin Larsen | TV series |
| 1988–1989 | TV 101 | Amanda Hampton | 13 episodes |
| 1990 | The Phantom of the Opera | Christine Daee | 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 | A Prayer in the Dark | Janet Hayworth | TV movie |
| 1997 | House of Frankenstein | Grace Dawkins | TV movie |
| 1998 | Texarkana | TV movie | |
| 1998 | A Father for Brittany | Kim Lussier | TV movie |
| 1998 | The Outer Limits | Sally McCoy | Episode: "Identity Crisis" |
| 1998 | The 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 | The Practice | Sarah Barker | 5 episodes |
| 2003–2004 | I'm with Her | Alex Young | 22 episodes |
| 2005–2006 | The 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 | The 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 | The 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 |
References
- ^ "Teri Polo Biography (1969-)". filmreference.com.
- ^ "FreeJose.com". Maxim Magazine Hot 100 Women of 2002. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
- ^ "First Images From 'The Beacon', Texas Screenings! -". bloody-disgusting.com.
- ^ "Stef Foster". ABC Family.
- ^ "Teri Polo Welcomes Baby Girl". People. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2012.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Teri Polo Files for Bankruptcy". PEOPLE.com.
External links
