Theresa Elizabeth Polo (born June 1, 1969) is an American actress. She starred as Pamela Martha Focker in the Meet the Parents franchise, Helen Santos in The West Wing, Christine Daaé in Phantom of the Opera (1990), and played the role of police officer Stef Adams Foster in the Freeform series The Fosters (2013–2018) and its spinoff Good Trouble (2019–2024).
Early life Theresa Elizabeth Polo was born on June 1, 1969, in Dover, Delaware, to Jane (née Gentry), a homemaker, and Vincent Polo, a stereo systems designer. She is of Italian, English, and German descent. She studied ballet for 13 years beginning at age six. 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 age 17 to pursue an acting career.
Career Polo's acting debut, in 1987, was in the role of Kristin Larsen on the ABC daytime soap opera Loving. The following year, she earned a role in primetime on the short-lived CBS series TV 101. She also starred in the 1990 miniseries The Phantom of the Opera as Christine Daaé. In 1994, Polo became a regular cast member on the last season of Northern Exposure. She later played Detective Ash on the TV series Brimstone. 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 2000, Polo became well known for her role as Pam Byrnes in the comedy Meet the Parents, opposite Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. The following year, she starred with John Travolta in the thriller Domestic Disturbance. In 2003, she starred in the sitcom I'm with Her. In 2004, she reprised her role as Pam in Meet the Fockers, the sequel to Meet the Parents. She was ranked No. 42 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2002. In February 2005, Polo posed nude for Playboy magazine. 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 movie Expecting a Miracle with Jason Priestley and Cheech Marin. That same year she also starred in The Beacon.
She appeared in the 2009 television pilot for Washington Field, a show about the National Capitol 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 interests. In 2010, Polo reprised her role as Pam Focker in Little Fockers, the second sequel to Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers. She also appeared in the 1980s-styled horror fantasy film, The Hole.
In 2013, Polo was cast in a lead role in the ABC Family series The Fosters. She played San Diego police officer Stef Adams Foster, opposite Sherri Saum, playing her wife Lena Adams Foster. Together they parented five biological, foster and adopted children and fostered more along the way.
In 2014, Polo starred in The Christmas Shepherd as the character Sally, an author living in a small town in Massachusetts who is devastated when her German Shepherd runs away during a storm.
In 2016, Polo narrated Daniel Errico's modern fairy tale short film "Rosaline". In 2019 she returned to animation (and LGBT-themed narratives) as Saylor the raven in Shabnam Rezaei's The Bravest Knight, the 13-episode Hulu animated series based on Errico's book.
After The Fosters ended its five-season run, Polo continued the role in guest appearances on the spinoff Good Trouble. In July 2020, the cast and producers of The Fosters united for a virtual table read of the pilot episode to benefit the Actors Fund, to help provide COVID-19 relief.
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.
Continuing to blend movies and television in her career, Polo took roles in JL Ranch and its sequel The Wedding Gift, All For Nikki, Deadly Switch, The Ravine, and Fourth Grade. Her return to television brought Polo full circle to her first love, dance, when she landed the role of former ballet dancer Julia in the Fox series The Big Leap, opposite Scott Foley and Piper Perabo.
Personal life In April 1997, Polo married photographer Anthony Moore. They have a son together. They divorced in 2003.
In 2006, while on the set of a music video, Polo met drummer Jamie Wollam, who is known for working with UK band Tears for Fears. They moved in together and welcomed a daughter in 2007. Polo and Wollam ended their relationship in 2012.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1991Born to RideBeryl Ann DeversMystery DateGeena Matthews1992Passed AwayRachel Scanlan 1993Aspen ExtremeRobin HandQuickQuickRosa del Valle1994Golden GateCynthia1996Char2000Meet the ParentsPam Byrnes 2001Barbara LoniganDomestic DisturbanceSusan 2003Straight From the HeartJordan DonovanBeyond BordersCharlotte Jordan2004Meet the FockersPam Byrnes-Focker2006Legacy of Fear Detective Jeanne Joyce2007Full of ItMrs. Moran 20092:13Amanda RichardsonSusanBryn Shaw2010Little FockersPam Focker 2012BeyondSarah NobleChristmas Angel Melinda Mead 2013Final Recourse Brooke HoltonThe Last Session Elizabeth Queen Short film 2014Authors Anonymous Colette MooneyA Bit of Bad Luck AmandaMr Maple Leaf Alex Short film 2016Outlaws and Angels Ada Tildon The Neighbor JaydnShort2020All for NikkiLiz Steadman 2021 The RavineCarolyn BianciFourth GradeKateFour Cousins and a ChristmasAunt Angela2026 Focker-in-Law Pam FockerPost-production
+ Key Denotes productions that have not yet been released
Television Year Title Role Notes1986LovingKristin LarsenDaytime series1988–1989TV 101Amanda Hampton13 episodes 1990Christine DaaéMoviePeople Like UsJustine Altemus SlatkinNBC movie 1994Due SouthStephanie CabotEpisode: "They Eat Horses, Don't They?"Tales from the CryptSheilaEpisode: "Revenge Is the Nuts"1994–1995Northern ExposureMichelle Schodowski Capra15 episodes1995Chicago HopeNurse Sarah Jane PettyEpisode: "Heartbreak"1996Full CircleTana RobertsNBC movie 1997Van Helsing ChroniclesHelena HarkerMovieJanet HayworthMovieHouse of FrankensteinGrace DawkinsNBC miniseries 1998TexarkanaMovieKim LussierCBS movieSally McCoyEpisode: "Identity Crisis" (Love After Death)Susan PrescotCBS movie1998–1999BrimstoneDet. Sgt. Delilah Ash / Ashur Badaktu6 episodes 1999Sugar HillSeriesFelicityMaggie Sherwood5 episodes1999–2000Sports NightRebecca Wells8 episodes2000FrasierAbby MichaelsEpisode: "Legal Tender Love and Care"2002Second StringConnie HellerTNT movie 2003Straight from the HeartJordan DonovanHallmark movieL.A. DragnetJessie RossEpisode: "All That Glitters"Sarah Barker5 episodes2003–2004I'm with HerAlex Young22 episodes2005–2006Helen Santos18 episodes 2006Welcome to the Jungle GymCBS movieFor the Love of a ChildYvonneLifetime Movies movieLegacy of FearDet. Jeanne 'JJ' JoyceLifetime movie 2007Numb3rsRachel WillonsEpisode: "Nine Wives"Love Is a Four Letter WordEmily BennettHallmark movieJane Bell4 episodes 2008FinneganDet. Erin FinneganABC movieLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitDana KelleyEpisode: "Confession"CSI: MiamiJill WalshEpisode: "Gone Baby Gone" 2009Expecting a MiracleDonna StanhopeHallmark movieGhost WhispererNikki2 episodesDanni NelsonEpisode: "The Storm: Part 1"Drop Dead DivaJillian FordEpisode: "The Magic Bullet"MonkStephanie BriggsEpisode: "Mr. Monk Is the Best Man"Washington FieldSA Amanda DiazCBS movie 2010MediumMary-Louise GraffEpisode: "It's a Wonderful Death"Glory DazeProf. Larsen2 episodes2010–2011Law & Order: LACasey Winters3 episodes 2011CastleKayla BaronEpisode: "Pretty Dead"We Have Your HusbandJayne ValsecaMovieMan Up!Theresa Hayden Keen10 episodes 2012A Taste of RomanceSara WestbrookHallmark movieCriminal MindsMaggie HallmanEpisode: "I Love You, Tommy Brown"The Christmas HeartAnn NormanHallmark movieChristmas AngelMelinda DavisMovie2013–2018The FostersStef Adams FosterLead role 2014Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Cordelia BauerEpisode: "American Disgrace"The Christmas Shepherd Sally BrownHallmark movie 2015Romantically SpeakingPennyMovieLove, AgainChloe BakerHallmark movie 2016RosalineNarratorRoyal Pains Diana Underhill2 episodes The $100,000 Pyramid Herself (celebrity guest) Episode: "Teri Polo vs. Zachary Levi"Living with ModelsAlice Adams 2 episodes J.L. Family RanchRebecca LandsburgHallmark movieConvictionPenny PriceEpisode: "Mother's Little Burden"2018Deadly DelusionDr. LearyLifetime movie aka The Lease 2019Deadly SwitchOliviaTV movie aka Foreign Exchange The Bravest KnightSaylorSupporting character, voice25 Words or LessherselfGame show2019–2024 Good TroubleStef Adams FosterGuest role, 10 episodes 2020Curb Your EnthusiasmRitaEpisode: "Side Sitting"J.L. Family Ranch: The Wedding GiftRebecca LandsburgHallmark movie2021The Big LeapJulia PerkinsMain role, 11 episodes2022NCISVivian Kolchak3 episodes2024FBI: International Tess Chaplain season 3 guest role, season 4
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