Teri Polo

Teri Polo was born Theresa Elizabeth Polo in Dover, Delaware, on June 1, 1969. She began her training in ballet at age six, continuing for thirteen years and, by age fifteen, was a dancer for the Delaware Regional Ballet. At sixteen, Polo moved to New York City after winning a local modeling contest for Seventeen magazine, subsequently signing with Elite’s petite division. Her early career also included her acting debut in 1987 on the ABC daytime soap opera “Loving” and a role in the primetime CBS series “TV 101” in 1988.

Polo gained significant recognition for her role as Pam Byrnes in the highly successful comedy film “Meet the Parents” in 2000, a role she reprised in its sequels, “Meet the Fockers” (2004) and “Little Fockers” (2010). Beyond her comedic work, she also took on dramatic roles, including Helen Santos in “The West Wing’s” sixth and seventh seasons (2005-2006) and Christine Daaé in the 1990 miniseries “The Phantom of the Opera.” In 2013, Polo took on a lead role in the ABC Family series “The Fosters,” portraying San Diego police officer Stef Adams Foster for 104 episodes until 2018. She continued this role in guest appearances on the spinoff series “Good Trouble” from 2019 to 2024.

Throughout her career, Polo has consistently appeared in a variety of projects, contributing to numerous television shows and films. Her filmography includes works like “The Arrival” (1996), “Domestic Disturbance” (2001), and “The Hole” (2009). More recently, she starred in the Fox series “The Big Leap” (2021) as Julia Perkins and made guest appearances in series such as “NCIS” (2022) and “FBI: International” (2024), demonstrating her enduring presence in the entertainment industry.