Teri Polo, 'Fockers' Star, Owes Almost $1 Million in Debt, Files for Bankruptcy
Teri Polo, best known as Ben Stiller's wife in the Meet the Parents movie and Meet the Fockers sequels, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week because she owes the IRS and others close to $1 million. The 44-year-old actress only is worth less than $50,000, according to her filing.
Teri Polo owes the federal government $745,000 in back taxes, $26,000 to the state of California in unpaid taxes and $36,000 to American Express and Chase in credit card debt. In addition, her former landlord, Hollywood entertainment lawyer Edwin McPherson, is suing her for $30,000 for apartment damages for leaving pet feces and urine all over the apartment and rotten food in the refrigerator, which was turned off, The Inquisitr reported.
Polo who first began acting in 1991, found widespread success with 2000 comedy Meet the Parents, which raked in $330 million worldwide. In it she played Pam Byrnes, the fiancé of Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Stiller) and the daughter of Jack Byrnes (Robert DeNiro). The success of the film spawned two sequels: Meet the Fockers in 2004, which grossed $516 million and Little Fockers in 2010, which made $309 million.
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Though Polo appeared in all three movies, some blame her decision to appear nude on a 2005 Playboy cover as the reason her A-list career has since gone downhill. Media outlets pointed out the controversial appearance alongside her portrayal of family mom Pam Focker, but the actress said she doesn't regret it.
"It was one of the best experiences of my life," she previously told Hollywood Life. "I'm very proud. We shouldn't be ashamed of the human body. The human body is beautiful, and it's a shame we put such a taboo on certain things. Why be ashamed? It's such a beautiful thing."
Polo is currently acting on "The Fosters," an ABC Family show.
Polo's financial woes could soon be over, though. Stiller has reportedly written a script for a new Meet the Parents installment.
