A. J. Cook facts for kids

Quick facts for kids A. J. Cook
Cook in 2010
Born	Andrea Joy Cook (1978-07-22) July 22, 1978 (age 46) Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Nathan Andersen ​ (m. 2001)​
Children	2

Andrea Joy Cook (born July 22, 1978), known as A. J. Cook, is a Canadian actress. She is famous for playing Jennifer "JJ" Jareau in the TV show Criminal Minds. She has also been in other movies and TV series like Higher Ground and Final Destination 2.

About A. J. Cook

Early Life and Challenges

A. J. Cook was born in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. She grew up in a nearby town called Whitby. She has three siblings: Nathan, Paul, and Angela.

When she was young, Cook had severe vision problems. She was legally blind because of a condition called astigmatism. This meant she had to wear very thick glasses. She said that other kids were "cruel" and that she "really couldn't see." Everything looked like a "smear of color with no shapes." This also made school hard at first, as people thought she had a learning disability. But she just couldn't see the board to read. In 2007, she had surgery that fixed her vision.

Dancing and Acting Dreams

Cook started dancing when she was four years old. She took lessons in jazz, tap, and ballet. She loved dancing because she didn't have to read or recite anything. She danced in many competitions.

At age 16, Cook decided she wanted to try acting. She also taught dance when she was younger. She has said that if she wasn't an actress, she would probably have opened a small dance studio. She still enjoys tap dancing today.

Starting Her Acting Career

A. J. Cook's first acting job was in a McDonald's commercial in 1997. After that, she got a guest role on the TV show Goosebumps. She also appeared in two TV movies, In His Father's Shoes and Elvis Meets Nixon.

In 1999, she got a main role in the TV series Higher Ground. She played Shelby Merrick, a teenage girl. The show lasted for one season.

Big Roles in Movies and TV

After Higher Ground, Cook was in the TV movie The Spiral Staircase in 2000. She then got leading roles in several movies. These included Out Cold, Ripper, I'm Reed Fish, and Final Destination 2. In 2003, she also appeared in the TV shows Dead Like Me and Tru Calling.

Starring in Criminal Minds

In September 2005, A. J. Cook began her most famous role. She played Jennifer "J.J." Jareau in the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. She was a main character for many seasons.

In 2010, there were some changes to her contract. She left the show for a short time, but fans wrote many letters and petitions. Because of this, she returned to finish her character's story. She also came back for a special episode when another actress left the show. It was later said that the reason for her temporary departure was not budget cuts, but a desire for "new women" on the show.

In April 2011, Cook signed on to appear for two more seasons of Criminal Minds. She and her co-star Kirsten Vangsness worked to get fair salaries. They eventually succeeded in 2017, getting paid the same as their male co-stars. Cook continued to star in the series until it ended in 2020 after 15 seasons.

After Criminal Minds ended, Cook took a break from acting. In 2022, she was a guest star on the show 9-1-1. It was also announced that she would return for a new Criminal Minds series.

Other Activities

In 2013, A. J. Cook became a spokeswoman for Proactiv, a skincare company. She was also the Grand Marshal for the STP 500 car race in 2016.

Personal Life

On August 3, 2001, A. J. Cook married her long-time boyfriend, Nathan Andersen. They met in a film class at Utah Valley University. They live in Los Angeles, California, with their two sons.

Their first son, Mekhai Allan, was born in September 2008. He appeared in Criminal Minds as J.J.'s son, Henry LaMontagne. Their second son, Phoenix Sky, was born in July 2015. Cook and her husband named him Phoenix because he was a surprise baby, like a phoenix rising. He also appeared in Criminal Minds as J.J.'s second son, Michael.

Filmography

Film

Television

Director

Images for kids

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  Cook in 2010

See also

In Spanish: A. J. Cook para niños