Photo: Greg Hernandez / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Teri Polo has the kind of warm, grounded screen presence that makes whatever she's in feel believable. As Pam in Meet the Parents, she had the trickiest job in the room: stay likable and sane while Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro escalated the chaos around her, and she pulled it off so well you actually cared whether they'd make it. Then she reinvented herself entirely as Stef on The Fosters, anchoring a groundbreaking family drama with real tenderness and steel. I appreciate that she's never coasted on the rom-com girlfriend role; she keeps choosing parts with heart.
Overview
Teri Polo (born June 1, 1969, in Dover, Delaware) is an American actress and former model. She is best known for playing Pam Byrnes (later Pam Focker) opposite Ben Stiller in the hit comedy film Meet the Parents and its sequels. On television she starred as Stef Adams Foster in the family drama series The Fosters.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Teri Polo
- Name (Japanese)
- テリー・ポロ
- Reading
- てりー・ぽろ
- Born
- June 1, 1969 (age 57)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rooster
- Origin
- Dover, Delaware, United States
- Occupation
- Actor / Model / Television actor / Film actor
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Teri Polo born?
Born June 1, 1969 (age 57).
Where is Teri Polo from?
Teri Polo is from Dover, Delaware, United States.
What does Teri Polo do?
Teri Polo works as Actor, Model, Television actor, Film actor.
Actor — see all → · Model — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.