Andrea Joy Cook (born July 22, 1978) is a Canadian actress more commonly known as A. J. Cook. She has appeared in several Hollywood films and television shows including The Virgin Suicides, Out Cold, Final Destination 2. Currently she plays Special Agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau in Criminal Minds.

Biography

Early life

Cook was born in Oshawa, Ontario and spent most of her life growing up in Whitby. Her father, Mike, is a teacher and her mother, Sandra, is a sheriff and works for a psychiatrist. She has three siblings named Nathan, Paul and Angela. Cook is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a devout Mormon, she accepts only roles that don't go against her faith. At four years of age, Cook began taking jazz, tap and ballet lessons. She danced competitively for many years before deciding at the age of 17 that she wanted to try acting.

Career

Cook's first job was in a McDonald's commercial in 1997. She graduated to series work with a guest role on the television series Goosebumps, and parts in two television movies, In His Father's Shoes and Elvis Meets Nixon. Cook launched her feature film career as one of five captivating suicidal sisters in 1999's The Virgin Suicides. Also that year, she took a starring role in the TV series Higher Ground, in which Cook played Shelby Merrick – a rough around the edges teenage girl dealing with abuse and heartache at a wilderness school for struggling kids. Higher Ground lasted one season, ending with a romance between Shelby and Hayden Christensen's character, Scott.

After Higher Ground, Cook starred in the 2000 TV movie The Spiral Staircase, and then captured leading roles in several films, including Out Cold and Final Destination 2.

She currently stars as Jennifer "J.J." Jareau in the CBS drama Criminal Minds.

Personal life

In September 2001, Cook married her long-time boyfriend Nathan Andersen, whom she met in a film class at Utah Valley State College (UVSC). She later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah to be with him and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

In March 2008, it was reported that Cook and Anderson are expecting their first child, due in October.

Notes

A. J. Cook and her Higher Ground co-star Jewel Staite both guest-starred on the show "Dead Like Me."

Kirsten Vangsness, Matthew Gray Gubler and Shemar Moore are very good friends of her. Paget Brewster is her best friend on the Criminal Minds set.

Filmography

Films

Year	Film	Role
1997	Laserhawk	Pretty Girl #1
1997	In His Father's Shoes	Lisa
1998	Elvis Meets Nixon	Hippie Chick
1999	The Virgin Suicides	Mary Lisbon
1999	Teen Sorcery	Dawn
1999	Blue Moon	Alison
2000	The Spiral Staircase	Local Girl
2001	Out Cold	Jenny
2001	Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell	Diana Collins
2001	Ripper: Letter from Hell	Molly Keller
2002	The House Next Door	Lori Peterson
2003	Final Destination 2	Kimberly Corman
2005	Bloodsuckers	Fiona Kennedy
2007	Night Skies	Lilly
2007	I'm Reed Fish	Theresa

Television

Year	Show	Role
1997	Goosebumps	Kim
1998	PSI Factor	Lee Mason
2000	First Wave	Lindsay Tilden
2000	Higher Ground	Shelby Merrick
2003	Dead Like Me	Charlotte
2003-2004	Tru Calling	Lindsay Walker
2005-	Criminal Minds	Jennifer "JJ" Jareau
2006	Vanished	Hope

References

External links

• A. J. Cook Bio at CBS - Criminal Minds