Andrea Joy "A.J." Cook (born July 22, 1978) is a Canadian actress best known for her role as Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau in the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds. She has also appeared in several Hollywood films including The Virgin Suicides, Out Cold, and Final Destination 2.
Cook was born in Oshawa, Ontario, and spent most of her life growing up in Whitby, where she attended Anderson Collegiate Vocational Institute. Her father, Mike, is a teacher, and her mother, Sandra, works as a psychiatrist.She has three siblings, Nathan, Paul, and Angela. Cook is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.A dancer from age four,Cook began taking jazz, tap and ballet lessons. She danced competitively for many years, before deciding at the age of 16 that she wanted to try acting.
On August 3, 2001, Cook married her long-time boyfriend, Nathan Andersen, whom she met in a film class at Utah Valley University. She later moved to Salt Lake City, Utahto be with him and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.In March 2008, it was reported that Cook and Andersen would be expecting their first child in October.Their son, Mekhai Allan Andersen, was born on September 13, 2008. Cook said "He's such a good baby. I feel so lucky that he's mine. My husband and I feel very blessed!"Mekhai made a brief appearance as Henry LaMontagne in Criminal Minds in Season 5 when Cook's character Jennifer Jareau was in a pharmacy buying children's medicine which leads to a breakthrough in the case the BAU was currently trying to solve.[13] He reprised the role of Henry in the Criminal Minds two-hour season seven finale in 2012. Cook and Andersen are also the owners of a Yorkshire Terrier named Zara.Cook was considered legally blind at an early age because of a severe astigmatism, but wore contacts to correct her vision. She eventually underwent surgery where a lens implant was used to correct the impairment.Cook is best friends with actress Meghan Ory.
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Popularity23
Credits6.4
Rating26M
Budget90.9M
RevenueActing
Primarily2019 Back Fork as Nida
2013 Wer as Kate Moore
2012 Least Among Saints as Cheryl
2011 Bringing Ashley Home as Libba
2010 Mother's Day as Vicky Rice
2010 Misconceptions as Mranda Bliss
2007 I'm Reed Fish as Theresa
2007 Night Skies as LIlly
2006 Vanished as Hope
2005 Criminal Minds as Jennifer Jareau
2005 Bloodsuckers as Fiona
2003 Final Destination 2 as Kimberly Corman
2003 Bits and Pieces: Bringing Death to Life as Self
2002 The House Next Door as Lori Peterson (as AJ Cook)
2001 Out Cold as Jenny
2001 Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell as Diana Collins
2001 Ripper: Letter from Hell as Molly Keller
2000 The Virgin Suicides as Mary Lisbon
2000 The Spiral Staircase as Local Girl
1999 Teen Sorcery as Dawn
1999 Blue Moon as Alison
1997 Elvis Meets Nixon as Hippie Chick
1997 Laserhawk as Pretty Girl #1