Polo co-led the household as police officer and parent Stef Adams Foster. She entered the series with major film recognition from Meet the Parents and its sequels.

Later television work included Good Trouble appearances that continued Stef's story and a regular role on NCIS beginning in the 2020s.

Saum played educator and parent Lena Adams Foster throughout the series and returned in Good Trouble. Her earlier television work included Sunset Beach and In Treatment.

Later roles included Ellie Whedon in Netflix's Locke & Key, continuing a career built largely through serialized drama.

Mitchell played Callie, whose arrival begins the series' central family story. She carried the character into the spinoff Good Trouble as a co-lead, then departed its regular cast while making later guest appearances.

Other screen work includes Teen Beach Movie and the Australian adventure series The Artful Dodger.

Lambert portrayed Brandon, Stef's biological son and the family's pianist and composer. Before The Fosters he led the Disney XD series Aaron Stone.

After the family drama, his screen credits included Good Trouble appearances and independent films, while Brandon remained his longest-running television role.

Ramirez played Mariana, the technologically skilled and socially driven twin, then co-led Good Trouble through its five seasons.

Her other work includes the film Girl in Progress and voice performance as America Chavez in Marvel Rising animation. She has also released music alongside her acting career.

Austin originated the role of Jesus through the first two seasons and guest appearances before the part was recast.

He was already known as Max Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place and as the voice of Fernando in Rio. Later credits included voice and competition television work.

Centineo assumed the role of Jesus in season three and played him through the finale.

He later became a romantic-comedy lead through the To All the Boys films, starred in the series The Recruit, and joined the DC film Black Adam as Atom Smasher.

Byerly portrayed Jude, Callie's younger brother, from the pilot through the family's final television chapter.

Before the series he had a recurring role as Micah on Parenthood and voiced characters in games and animation. Jude remains the defining long-form performance in his public acting résumé.

Nucci played Mike, Brandon's father and Stef's former police partner. His earlier film credits included Crimson Tide, The Rock, and Titanic, where he portrayed Fabrizio.

After The Fosters he continued guest and recurring television work, adding the family drama to a long character-actor career.

Marks recurred as Monte Porter, the principal and later school colleague whose storyline intersects with Lena's work.

Her film credits include The Sessions, and later television appearances included The Last Tycoon and Goliath. She has also written and produced independent projects.

Leighton played Emma, Jesus's academically focused friend and girlfriend.

Later live-action work included Sophie in This Is Us, while animation audiences know her as the voice of Polly Plantar in Amphibia. The two parts expanded her résumé in family drama and voice performance.

MacIntosh recurred as Connor, Jude's classmate and first boyfriend, in a storyline important to Jude's development.

His earlier child-actor credits included Parks and Recreation and Raising Hope. The Fosters remains his most substantial and publicly recognized television role.

Rodrigues played Mat, a musician and recurring romantic interest for Mariana.

He arrived with recognition from the Australian series Dance Academy and later appeared in Light as a Feather and National Treasure: Edge of History. Music and movement connect several of his best-known screen roles.

Chavez played Ximena, a student whose immigration storyline brings Callie into a new advocacy effort.

, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, and The Rookie. Those credits moved her from family drama into procedural and genre television.

Williamson portrayed AJ, a foster youth whose path becomes closely tied to Mike and Callie.

His other screen credits include All Cheerleaders Die, VFW, and guest television work. AJ remains the role that gave him his longest sustained storyline in a network drama.