When she was in her teens, Teri Polo moved to NYC to pursue an education and work in dance. Her life took a turn when she ended up acting, initially credited for her 1987 stint on the ABC daytime drama "Loving" and a regular role on the CBS drama "TV 101." In 1990 the new actress performed opposite screen legend Burt Lancaster in the NBC miniseries adaptation "Phantom of the Opera," before making her feature debut in "Born to Ride" the following year.

Costarring with Ethan Hawke in the romantic adventure "Mystery Date" didn't give Polo the career boost she expected, but Polo landed more roles, racking up credits in the features "Passed Away," "Aspen Extreme" and "The House of the Spirits."

Alternating television roles with film appearances, Polo appeared on the big screen opposite Charlie Sheen in the sci-fi adventure "The Arrival" in 1996, and played a starlet who finds her power under the spell of evil in the NBC TV-movie remake "House of Frankenstein." In 1998, she played a pivotal role as a woman who battles cancer only to have her adopted daughter taken from her husband upon her death in the TV-movie "A Father for Brittany." The following year she gained notice for her guest turn as a married woman who carries on an affair with hapless college student Ben on The WB's "Felicity" and also began a 1999-2000 recurring role on the critically acclaimed ABC series "Sports Night."

Polo returned to the big screen with her breakthrough performance as the girlfriend of Ben Stiller, who takes her beau home to "Meet the Parents." The actress anchored the often ridiculous film with her natural, nuanced performance as the well-adjusted Pam Byrnes, and her chemistry with on-screen father-a former CIA agent played by Robert De Niro-helped sell the idea of his hardheaded despot as caring dad.

Returning to the small screen, she starred as a Hollywood star dating a regular guy (David Sutcliffe) in the ABC sitcom "I'm With Her," which was reasonably reviewed but failed to catch on with audiences. For her next move, she revived her breakthrough role in the smash hit "Meet the Fockers." Just like its predecessor, "Meet the Fockers" was a box office hit amid wild hype and tepid reviews.

In 2010, Polo reprised her role as Pam Focker in "Little Fockers," the sequel to "Meet the Parents" and "Meet the Fockers."

She currently stars as Stef Foster in the ABC Family series "The Fosters" as the mother to five children and wife of Lena Adams played by Sherri Saum. The series, produced by Jennifer Lopez, has endeared her to the LGBT community.

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