Teri Polo
USABiography of Teri Polo
Teri Polo is an American actress who gained fame for her role in the 2000 film "Meet the Parents" and its sequel, "Meet the Fockers," where she played the wife of Ben Stiller's character. She is also known for her roles in the sitcom "I'm with Her" and the political drama series "The West Wing."
Teri Polo was born on June 1, 1969, in Dover, Delaware, USA. She is the daughter of Jane, a homemaker, and Vincent Polo, a stereo system designer. She has two brothers named Mike and Steve. Teri began studying ballet at the age of five and dedicated her childhood and teenage years to it. She was accepted into the School of American Ballet in New York City at the age of 13. She attended Dover High School but dropped out after winning a modeling competition held by Seventeen magazine. At the age of 17, she moved to New York City to pursue her acting career.
In New York City, Teri signed a contract with a modeling agency and made her debut as a model in the first promotional campaign for "Cherry 7-Up." In April 1997, she secretly married photographer Anthony Moore in Las Vegas when she turned 27. They met at a fitness club in the San Fernando Valley. They had a son named Griffin in the summer of 2002. However, they divorced in 2003 after six years of marriage. A year later, Teri met drummer Jamie Wollam (from the bands "Avion and Venice") and they had a daughter named Bayley on December 20, 2007, in Los Angeles.
Teri has appeared as a guest in various TV shows, including "The Practice" as Sarah Barker, "Felicity" as Maggie Sherwood, "Chicago Hope" as Nurse Sarah Jane Petty, "Sports Night," and "Frasier" as Abby Michaels. She also had regular roles in the series "Northern Exposure" as Michelle and "The West Wing" as Helen Santos, the wife of President Matt Santos.
Teri made her prime-time debut in the series "TV 101" as Amanda Hampton. She also played the role of Christine Daae in the 1990 miniseries "Phantom of the Opera." She continued to expand her acting resume with projects like "Golden Gate," "Arrival," "Full Circle," "House of Frankenstein," "The Perfect Daughter," "Love After Death," and "Father's Sins." She appeared in films such as "The General's Daughter" with John Travolta and Vince Vaughn, "The Unsaid," and "Beyond Borders" with Angelina Jolie.
From 2006 to 2008, Teri had roles in films such as "The Children of Huang Shi," "Legacy of Fear," "Love Is a Four Letter Word," "Nothing But the Truth," "Material Lies," and "2:13." In 2009, she was set to appear in Michael Stokes' thriller film "The Beacon," which is currently in post-production.
Teri has also been involved in award ceremonies, representing the 11th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards with stars like Johnny Depp and Mel Gibson. In January 2005, she appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine to coincide with the release of "Meet the Fockers." She has been featured in the "Maxim" Hot 100 Women list and has appeared in "InStyle" magazine.
Following the commercial success of "Meet the Fockers," it is expected that Teri will reprise her role in the third film, "Meet the Little Focker," which will focus on the newborn child of her character, Pam Byrnes.
