The Fosters – 3B MVP’s

By starrymag | April 25, 2016

By: Taylor Gates

 

“The Fosters” is chock-full of incredible performances. Something I find especially admirable is the fact that it often casts new, upcoming talent that goes on to make huge strides in their careers shortly after appearing on the show. For example, recently Caitlin Carver (who plays Hayley Heinz) landed a role in the movie adaption of the hit John Green novel Paper Towns, Bianca Santos (who plays Lexi Rivera) found more success starring in The DUFF with Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, and Bella Thorne and Amanda Leighton’s (as Emma) popularity is about to skyrocket after the Powerpuff Girls reboot in which she will play Blossom.

 

Mixing in these rising stars along with acting veterans such as Teri Polo (Stef Adams Foster) of Meet the Parents fame and household name Rosie O’Donnell (as Rita Hendricks) makes the show an interesting hybrid of exciting new faces and classic favorites. Almost everyone is flawless in their roles and the casting department should be commended for finding performers whose passion and heart shine through with every line delivered. This season; however, there were a few performers that seriously stood out and touched me above all the rest.

 

5. Annie Potts (Sharon Elkin)

 

She was only here towards the beginning of the season, but man, did she make an impact. Sharon is the quirky, hilarious grandmother everyone wishes they had. She brings comic relief and so much heart to the show. It’s always a pleasure to watch her in this role, especially since she makes it obvious where Stef gets her stubbornness.

 

4. Cierra Ramirez (Mariana Adams Foster)

 

Two words: that voice. Not only did she absolutely kill it all season with her insane vocals, but she is also one of the most underrated actresses on this show and in Hollywood. Mariana could easily slip into cliche, selfish diva territory at times, but Cierra brings sass and vulnerability in equal measure. She’s a relatable character, one who can be both flawed and a role model and someone who is always energetic and fun to watch.

 

3. Maia Mitchell (Callie Adams Foster)

 

Maia constantly has to play a number of conflicting emotions at once—strong but tired, tough but insecure, wise but naive—-and she nails it every time. There’s always another emotion bubbling under the surface of her performance, making it extraordinarily layered and mature. The finale, between guilt over Jack’s (Tanner Buchanan) death, fury at Justina (Kelli Williams) and finally defeat when telling the truth about her and Brandon (David Lambert), solidified her spot on this list.

 

2. Noah Centineo (Jesus Adams Foster)

 

All hail the New Jesus! Noah brought amounts of depth and heart to Jesus I never knew were possible. Being reckless with cars and alcohol, longing for a relationship with Gabe (Brandon Quinn), feeling betrayed by his birth father—he handled such range with ease. Through Noah, Jesus was transformed from obnoxious young playboy to compelling, charming young man. The scenes between Jesus and Stef were some of my favorites of the season and I can’t wait for Noah to continue Jesus’ story.

 

1. Teri Polo (Stef Adams Foster)

 

She’s been pitch perfect every season, but she rose to a whole new level in 3B. She played angry, she played scared and she played strong—sometimes all at the same time. Polo is undoubtedly versatile and has the ability to send you immediately from laughter to tears to laughter again in the span of a few seconds. Seeing her tackle the mastectomy storyline was remarkable. The scene in which she conquers her insecurity and decides to go for the haircut she’s always wanted before talking about what femininity means to her was one of the most empowering, revolutionary speeches in the history of television. The fact that she brought her A-Game again when faced with the tragedy of Jack shows how consistent and passionate she is about the stories she is telling.

 

 

Sherri Saum (Lena Adams Foster) deserves to be mentioned here too. Teri Polo, herself, has said that there would be no Stef without Lena, which is absolutely true. Polo’s performance would not be nearly as impactful if not juxtaposed next to Saum’s. Lena is generally a quieter, less showy character, often not getting the recognition or credit that Stef gets, which is why I feel the need to point out that Sherri Saum is a subtle powerhouse. She is constantly rock-solid as the gentle counterbalance to her onscreen wife, frequently acting as the voice of reason. Her nonverbal acting is soft, controlled and brilliant and her perfectly-timed reassuring pats on the knee or silent warning glares set her apart. Saum makes it clear that without Lena holding it all together, this family would surely fall apart.