Early life

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.

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 appeared in the 2000 TV movie The Spiral Staircase (alongside Higher Ground alum Kandyse McClure), and then captured leading roles in several films, including Out Cold (as Jason London's love interest), Ripper, I'm Reed Fish, and Final Destination 2.

In 2003, A.J. guest starred in a pivotal role on the critically acclaimed series Dead Like Me. (Interestingly, the episode preceding her appearance in Sunday Mornings was entitled A Cook, although there was no connection between the guest characters in either episode.)

She currently stars as Jennifer "J.J." Jareau in the CBS drama Criminal Minds. On June 14, 2010 it was announced that her contract option would not be picked up for the show's sixth season as a series regular, but she did return for two episodes to wrap up her character's storyline due to thousands of letters and petitions written to the show's producers. She also returned for one episode for the departure of Paget Brewster from the series. On April 16, 2011 it was reported that she had signed to reappear for two more seasons of the show.

Personal life

In August 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, Utah to 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 Saturday, September 13, 2008. Weighing in at 7 lbs, 10 oz and 20 inches long, Mekhai was born at 8:50 p.m. A.J. 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 in Criminal Minds in Season 5 when Cook's character Jennifer Jareau was in a pharmacy buying children's medicine which lead to a breakthrough in the case the BAU was currently trying to solve. 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.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Laserhawk	Pretty Girl #1
1999	Virgin Suicides, TheThe Virgin Suicides	Mary Lisbon
1999	Teen Sorcery	Dawn	Video
2001	Wishmaster 3: Beyond the Gates of Hell	Diana Collins	Video
2001	Ripper	Molly Keller
2001	Out Cold	Jenny
2002	House Next Door, TheThe House Next Door	Lori Peterson
2003	Final Destination 2	Kimberly Corman
2006	I'm Reed Fish	Theresa
2007	Night Skies	Lilly
2008	Misconceptions	Miranda Bliss
2010	Mother's Day	Vicky Rice
2012	Least Among Saints	Cheryl	Completed

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	In His Father's Shoes	Lisa	TV movie
1997	Goosebumps	Kim Carter	Episode: "Don't Wake Mummy"
1997	Elvis Meets Nixon	Hippie Chick	TV movie
1997	PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal	Jill Starling	Episode: "Second Sight/Chocolate Soldier"
1998	PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal	Lee Mason	Episode: "Hell Week"
1999	Blue Moon	Alison	TV movie
2000	Spiral Staircase, TheThe Spiral Staircase	Local Girl	TV movie
2000	Higher Ground	Shelby Merrick	22 episodes
2000	First Wave	Lindsay Tilden	Episode: "The Flight of Francis Jeffries"
2003	Dead Like Me	Charlotte	Episode: "Sunday Mornings"
2003-2004	Tru Calling	Lindsay Walker	21 episodes
2005	Bloodsuckers	Fiona	TV movie
2005-present	Criminal Minds	Jennifer 'JJ' Jareau	132+ episodes
2006	Vanished	Hope	TV movie
2011	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Debbie Shields	Episode: "Mask"
2011	Bringing Ashley Home	Libba	TV movie

[ Source: Wikipedia ]