Sherri Saum
An actress who brought profound emotional depth and groundbreaking representation to television as a foster mother in a beloved family drama.
Born 1974 (age 52)·American actress·Birthday: October 1·Generation X
Biography
Sherri Saum built a steady career in television with roles in soaps like 'Sunset Beach' and gritty dramas like 'Rescue Me,' but it was the role of Lena Adams Foster that cemented her place in the cultural conversation. On 'The Fosters,' Saum, alongside her on-screen wife, portrayed a nuanced and loving depiction of a same-sex couple raising a blended, multi-ethnic family. She didn't just play a mother; she embodied the complexities, joys, and struggles of modern parenthood with a quiet strength that resonated deeply with audiences. Her performance helped normalize LGBTQ+ family structures on mainstream television during a critical period of social change. Beyond that defining role, Saum has continued to choose compelling projects, from the psychological drama 'In Treatment' to the supernatural series 'Locke & Key,' showcasing a range that proves her talent extends far beyond one iconic character.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Sherri was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sherri Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Sherri's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed co-lead Lena Adams Foster for five seasons on the groundbreaking family drama 'The Fosters'.
- Nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in 'The Fosters'.
- Played recurring roles on acclaimed series including 'Rescue Me,' 'In Treatment,' and 'Locke & Key'.
- Starred in the ABC daytime soap opera 'One Life to Live' as Keri Reynolds.
Did You Know?
She is fluent in German, which she learned while living in Germany as a child.
She is a twin; her twin sister is named Shanti.
She studied at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
“We have to show what a real family looks like, in all its messy glory.”
