Teresa Petrillo

**Teresa Petrillo-Belfort** is a hairdresser and the first wife of stockbroker, Jordan Belfort.

## History

### **Mrs. Belfort**

According to the backstory, both Teresa and Jordan were born in New York City. Their relationship seemed to be one of an "all-American checklist"; their relationship began at a public high school, where they went to prom with one another. Teresa married Jordan at an unspecified point, but likely no earlier than 1985 and no later than 1987, as Jordan says he is a newlywed to Teresa later to Mark Hanna. The two accompany each other on their first day of work, with Teresa kissing him off on the bus, before leaving to her own job of being a hair dresser. But, as Jordan sprouts his career in L.F. Rothschild, he slowly falls into a life of drugs, alcohol, and sex, unbeknownst to Teresa. Jordan studies for his Series 7 exam and eventually passes. However, the first workday for Jordan as an full-fledged, dyed-in-the-wool stockbroker is also a notable one in American history: October 19th, 1987. Jordan ends his workday with the Dow dropping a devastating 508 points. Only the Crash of 1929 was more severe. One month later, Jordan loses his job as L.F. Rothschild was forced to close up shop.

Teresa discusses plans with Jordan after his lay off, saying she could take another shift or sell her wedding ring, but Jordan insistently refuses. Optimistic, Teresa tells Jordan that he will rebound, but Jordan himself is unsure, as no one will be hiring stock brokers at this time. Teresa rather assures him, pointing towards an ad in the newspaper that is hiring brokers for a business selling penny stocks. Jordan takes the job, though mildly demeaning at first, especially compared to his previous life, but turns it around when he learns of the cut of profit being half of the sale. Jordan amasses a small fortune, with his Wall Street acquired methods, duping clients with meagre worthless stock, while jacking up the amount of stocks sold.

Jordan eventually begins his own business with Donnie Azoff, of whom Teresa befriends his wife, Hildy. Stratton Oakmont becomes successful in selling useless penny stock, on a wide scale, to poor unsuspecting clients. Teresa voices her disappointment with Jordan on the matter, while on a date where he presents her with a diamond necklace. She questions why Jordan can't sell the shares to wealthy buyers, to which Jordan realizes could be a possibility. Jordan onward targets elite investors, modifying his methods to get his firm to sell the same stock to unsuspecting upper class patrons.

As Jordan and his firm become increasingly affluent, the moral integrity of Jordan and his business decry into obscenity, as Jordan's questionable actions are questioned in an expose by Forbes. The article infuriates Jordan, though Teresa tries to calm him down, saying that the publicity will not hurt him, but Jordan still holds much doubt and anger on the subject. But, Teresa claims prove to be true, as hundreds of young employees enter into Stratton Oakmont, seeking a job in the company, due to the infamy it has generated.

### **The Duchess of Bay Ridge**

In 1992, Jordan hosts a beach party in South Hampton, for all his workers, where Teresa witnesses her husband's wild speech to ignite the onlooking brokers. After her husband leaves to join in with his co-workers to do quaaludes in secret, she socializes with Hildy and other guests. Jordan however, reappears after Sea Otter notifies him that a beautiful blonde model, named Naomi Lapaglia, had arrived to the party. Jordan is immediately enamored with her, as the two converse with each other, much to the chagrin of Lapaglia's date, Blair. Teresa, among the endless party goers, noticed Jordan talking to Lapaglia, and felt concerned by Jordan talking to her so intently. She gets Hildy to usher Jordan to her, in a means to divert any possible ulterior intentions she believed Jordan could have. As Lapaglia and Jordan were being forced to break off from each other, as Blair as well wanting to leave the party, Donnie came back out very high on ludes, and began to jerk off to Lapaglia in public. Hildy proceeded to beat him in public for embarrassing himself, pushing away attention from Jordan to the embarrassing scene. However, Lapaglia reluctantly leaves with Blair's insistence, as she is dragged off, much to Jordan's dismay, but Teresa's content.

Yet, though the two had only had a brief meeting and were separated then after, Jordan was not hindered and was able to contact and go on a date with Lapaglia, behind Teresa's back. Lapaglia herself initially holds faint reservations about going out with Jordan, due to being married to Teresa, but Jordan dismisses it aside, saying that their relationship is purely platonic, much to Lapaglia's suggestive comments that it won't. The two eventually head to Lapaglia's apartment, where Jordan plans to sleep with Lapaglia, who is in the meantime freshening up. Teresa pages him in the apartment, asking where he is, clashing with Jordan's intentions and morals, and he decides to quickly leave. But right at that moment, Lapaglia emerges back out nude and offers herself to Jordan, and the two proceed to have sex and begin an affair.

Teresa is oblivious of their relationship for some time, but she begins to suspect something, and sets up a trap for Jordan. She tells Jordan she is visiting relatives outside of New York City, when in actuality she is at home. Jordan falls into the trap easily, as he brings Lapaglia back to their apartment to have sex with her, as both of them fondled each other aggressively on the limo drive home, being oblivious to Teresa awaiting them. When opening the limo's door to find Jordan sniffing cocaine off of Lapaglia's breasts in the backseat, Teresa pulls him out, slamming the door violently to a shocked Lapaglia. Teresa proceeds to reprimand Jordan, crying and slapping him for cheating on her with the "whore from the party". She finally tells him that he is acting like a completely different person, confronting him on his overall change in character from when they were initially married. Though Jordan keeps giving apologies and holding out denial of any change, she finally asks him if he wants Lapaglia. With Jordan stuttering to reply, Teresa further encroaches on if he loves Lapaglia, silencing him. Teresa begins to break down, crying as Jordan stays silent, feeling horrible for the entire situation. Three days later, the two get a divorce, and Jordan proceeds to marry Lapaglia and start a family with her.

## Gallery

Teresa kisses Jordan good luck on his first dayTeresa reassures Jordan that everything will be alrightJordan gives Teresa a pearl necklace as a giftTeresa tries to calm Jordan down about the articleTeresa talks with Hildy, while Jordan is flirting with Naomi LapagliaTeresa gets Hildy to pull Jordan away from LapagliaTeresa learns Lapaglia and Jordan are having an affairTeresa decries Jordan for cheating on herTeresa breaks down from learning Jordan has feelings for Lapaglia