Teri Polo is an American actor who has appeared in a number of films and television series. She is best known for playing Pam Byrnes-Focker in the Meet the Parents film series. She has also had significant roles in the television series Brimstone and The West Wing. Polo has always been intrigued by dance and ballet. Later, she experimented with modeling before entering the entertainment industry. Her breathtaking beauty and well-maintained physique have helped Polo attract the attention of her audiences. She has also posed for ‘Playboy’. Teri portrayed a homosexual police officer on the television show The Fosters.
Youth and Early Life
Theresa Elizabeth Polo was born on June 1, 1969, in Dover, Delaware as Teri Polo. Jane Polo, her mother, is a housewife, and Vincent Polo, her father, is a stereo systems engineer. Her brothers are Mike and Steve. Polo began attending ballet courses at the age of five. She studied dance for thirteen years. Polo attended the ‘School of American Ballet’ in New York at the age of 13. By age 15, she had joined the ‘Delaware Regional Ballet.’
Polo attended Delaware’s “Dover High School” She won a modeling contest held by the magazine “Seventeen” when she was 16 years old. She then quit school and relocated to New York to pursue an acting and modeling career. She also signed a contract with the Elite modeling agency’s diminutive division.
Teri Polo’s Career
Teri Polo made her acting début in 1988 with the CBS series TV 101, in which she portrayed Amanda Hampton. The series was terminated after 13 episodes due to low ratings and other controversies. Tony Richardson directed the 1990 NBC miniseries The Phantom of the Opera, in which Polo portrayed Christine Daaé. Her character, ‘Christine,’ was portrayed as a hopeful singer in love with ‘The Phantom,’ and Polo performed her role flawlessly.
Teri Polo was selected to appear in the final season of the popular ‘CBS’ series ‘Northern Exposure,’ which aired from 1990 to 1995. Polo portrayed the recurring character ‘Michelle Schowdowski Capra,’ a reporter and the wife of ‘Phil Capra.’ The program garnered a great deal of attention, and Polo’s portrayal of the character was notable.
In 1998, Polo portrayed ‘Detective Ash’ on ‘Brimstone.’ In 2005, she joined the ensemble of the sixth and seventh seasons of ‘The West Wing’ as ‘Helen Santos,’ the wife of a ‘Democratic’ presidential candidate. This was a recurring position.
In the 1990s, Polo appeared in a number of films, including ‘Mystery Date,’ ‘Passed Away,’ and ‘The House of the Spirits.’ In 2000, Teri was chosen to play the lead role of ‘Pam Byrnes’ in the American comedy film ‘Meet the Parents.’ The film told the story of a male nurse attempting to make a good impression on his girlfriend’s family. Polo was cast in the role of fiancée.
In 2003, Polo starred in the Hallmark original movie ‘Straight from the Heart,’ an adaptation of Pamela Wallace’s romantic novel of the same name. In 2004, Polo portrayed ‘Pam Byrnes’ in the sequel to ‘Meet the Parents,’ titled ‘Meet the Fockers.’ In 2010, the third installment in the series, ‘Little Fockers,’ was released. In this film, Teri’s character ‘Pam’ was portrayed as the mother of 5-year-old twins.
She also appeared in the women’s fashion magazine ‘InStyle’ in 2005. In 2002, Polo ranked forty on the ‘Maxim Hot 100’ list. In 2009, Polo starred in the film ‘2:13.’ The following year, she appeared in the films ‘The Hole and ‘The Beacon.’ She has made guest appearances on a variety of television series, including ‘The Practice,’ ‘Felicity,’ and ‘Ghost Whisperer.’
Teri Polo landed a career-defining role in 2013. She was cast as ‘Stef Adams Foster’ in ‘The Fosters,’ an American sitcom about a lesbian couple attempting to parent their children. Polo portrayed ‘Stef,’ a police officer, a mother, and ‘Lena Adams Foster’s’ lesbian partner. The program has been in the news due to its sensitive and controversial subject matter. The show’s fifth and final season concluded in June 2018. ‘Freeform’ has however announced a spin-off.
Polo’s Personal Life
In April 1997, Teri Polo wed photographer Anthony Moore. They had a son, Griffin, in 2002. In 2005, however, the couple divorced. On a video shoot in 2006, Polo met drummer Jamie Wollam. They quickly wed and had a daughter named Bayley. In 2012, however, the couple divorced.
Estimated Net Worth
American actress Teri Polo has a net worth of $200,000 dollars. Teri Polo is best known for her portrayals as Pam Byrnes-Focker in “Meet the Parents” and as police officer Stef Adams Foster in “The Fosters” on ABC Family.
Trivia
She once stated, “It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I’m very pleased. We should not be embarrassed by the human organism.
Polo has a fantastic relationship with her co-star on ‘The Fosters,’ Sherri Saum. Polo was once quoted as saying, “I have more chemistry with Sherri than I’ve ever had with a male counterpart,” which has led to rumors that she is homosexual.