Pretty convenient that the character Lena Adams-Foster should be pregnant at the same time the actress portraying her, Sherri Saum, is pregnant
in real life, huh? Life imitating art or art imitating life? Either way, it couldn’t have worked out any better for the star of ABC Family’s smash hit The
Fosters.
Viewers were introduced to a family that many of us in the foster care community have seen for years; a same-sex couple with a mix of biological
adopted and foster children. It was hailed as “Family Redefined”, but folks in the foster care community just call that a family. Once the rest of the
nation caught up and got acquainted with the idea, the show was a huge success. Fans of the show waited with bated breath as the news of the
pregnancy slowly made its’ way to Stef Foster, played by Teri Polo, through the family Foster at the end of the premiere season. And what a
premiere season it was!
Millions followed the stories of Callie, Stef, Maria, Jesus, Brandon, Lena, Stef and the adorable Jude. They cried when Callie made choices that
found her in a residential home for girls. They cheered when Stef and Lena were married and Jude was adopted into the family, blue nail polish
and all! They got nervous when Brandon and Callie started having feelings for one another. Worried for Maria as she found her way through the
trials of high school. Girls fell in love with Jesus. People everywhere basked in the smiles that came with the family bonding into a single unit.
People are invested in this show. One of the biggest reasons for that investment has been the contributions of veteran TV actress Sherri Saum.
The older crowds remember Saum from her earlier work in One Life to Live and Sunset Beach. (I spent a lot of days suspended from school. I was
captivated by her storyline on One Life to live as the lost daughter of the ruthless RJ Gannon. I jumped out of my skin when she told me she
married her soap opera husband Kamar de los Reyes. She married Antonio in real life!!)
While the younger sect is more familiar with her recent TV work which includes everything from Gossip Girls and In Treatment to Heroes and
Rescue Me (If you haven’t seen her work on Rescue Me, you owe it to yourself to watch it.)
Couple that experience with the venerable Teri Polo and a cast of up and coming young actors, it’s hard not to have a hit show on your hands.
According to Saum, the year has been full of positive responses. “I haven’t had anyone come up to me with anything bad to say. It’s been really
nice, very positive response.”
Her character, Lena, is a compassionate school administrator who with her partner, wife, Stef, a policewoman, raise two adopted kids Jesus and
Maria, Stef’s biological son Brandon and when we meet them, become the foster parents of siblings Callie and Jude. That’s a pretty full house and
now she’s expecting!
Real life isn’t that different for Saum who is a compassionate person with a family of her own that is about to grow by two. “By the premiere the
twins will be here so there will be file folders and big purses to catch Lena up to where I am in real life.”
“Everyone was amazing during filming, making sure I had water and was always comfortable” she recalled when asked about filming while pregnant.
So with all of the excitement of the new season and the new additions to her household has she been able to enjoy the success the show? In a
word, yes.
“We’ve been able to connect to so many incredible organizations through the awards the show has garnered. It’s been great to learn about them
and what they do for foster care and people in general. I feel very fortunate to be part of a show that has touched so many people.” says Saum.
“From Human Rights groups and LGBTQ groups to the advocates and the members of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth, who visited the
set, I’ve come in contact with so many great people who care about people.”
Her biggest contribution in the eyes of most viewers was her interaction with the show’s youngest character, Jude. In a pivotal episode during
season one; Jude is bullied for wearing blue nail polish, the product of some bonding time with adoptive sister Maria. A conflicted Jude struggles
with the bullying he receives. Lena’s sage advice resonated through the entire gay community,
“When Stef and I are at home, we hold hands and kiss. Sometimes, when we’re out in a new neighborhood or we are walking home late or to our
car, we won’t hold hands.” She goes on to say that she gets mad at people who judge and gets mad at herself for not taking a stand. She goes on,
“If you are taught to hide what makes you different, you end up feeling a lot of shame about who you are and that’s not okay. What’s wrong is the
people out there who make us feel unsafe.”
Imagine the comfort that brought to thousands of struggling young gay people across the nation. There are going to be hundreds more chances
for The Fosters to reach beyond the world of foster care and into the mainstream. The problems facing this giant mixed family in California reflect
the problems of the nation. Homosexuality, its acceptance. Race as it stands in America today. Bullying, drug use, peer pressure, crime all plague
the country and The Fosters aren’t running away from the subject matter.
But most important to a show focused on foster care is the exploration of the problems the system faces. This season, starting June 16th at 9pm
est. 8pm cen. on ABC Family, Callie’s adoption hangs on the decision of her biological dad, a struggle familiar to those in foster care. The family
will have to gel into a cohesive unit, not an easy task if you ask any adoptive parent. They’ll revisit the girls’ home that housed Callie in season
one, which will bring the return of Rosie O’Donnell. They’ll tackle other issues that are problematic in foster care as well.
With so much happening on the show and so much going on at home with twins, Saum will have to summon every ounce of energy she has to be a
Mom to so many.
At the time of our interview the babies were set to make their arrival in a month’s time. You will be happy to know that Sherri Saum and her
Husband, Kamar de los Reyes, welcomed two healthy baby boys to the world on May 13th. The bouncing baby boys are named John Rubén and
Michael Luís.
As a fan of The Fosters and a foster care advocate I couldn’t be happier with the success of the show. Any avenue we can take to get more
attention on foster care is a road worth driving. As a fan of TV and a kid who was sent home from school more times than I can recall I couldn’t be
happier that someone I was a fan of has had such a great career. When you watch Sherri Saum on screen you feel as if you would be friends in
real life had you the chance to meet. It’s that sense of reliability that has made her so loved by viewers.
It’s going to be a great season, be sure to tune in every Monday night 9 pm eastern, 8pm central on ABC Family and see what all of the fuss is
about.
Owner/Editor - Chris Chmielewski