| 6th | Top Latter Day Saints |
| A. J. Cook | |
|---|---|
| Born | Andrea Joy Cook July 22, 1978 Oshawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Spouse(s) | Nathan Anderson (2001–present) |
Andrea Joy "A.J." Cook[1] (born July 22, 1978) is a Canadian actress best known for her role as 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.
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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, works for a psychiatrist.[2] She has three siblings, Nathan, Paul, and Angela. Cook is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[3] A dancer from age four,[4] 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.
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.
She currently stars as Jennifer "J.J." Jareau in the CBS drama Criminal Minds.
In September 2001, Cook married her long-time boyfriend Nathan Andersen, whom she met in a film class at Utah Valley University (UVU). She later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah[5] to be with him and currently resides in Los Angeles, California having moved there around mid-2002.[4]
In March 2008, it was reported that Cook and Andersen would be expecting their first child in October.[6][7] The couple welcomed son Mekhai Allan Andersen on Saturday, September 13. 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!"[8]
| 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 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 | Lily |
| 2007 | I'm Reed Fish | Theresa |
| 2009 | Misconceptions | Miranda Bliss |
| 2010 | Mother's Day | Vicky Rice |
| 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 |
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