AJ Cook, who fans adore as JJ on Criminal Minds, didn’t grow up with the perfect path many might assume. As a child, she struggled with severe astigmatism, which blurred her vision so badly that teachers once thought she had a learning disability. On top of that, AJ was painfully shy. It was only through dance lessons that she began to find confidence, learning to perform and slowly step out of the shadows.
In 2010, Cook faced one of the toughest blows in her career. Producers decided to drop her from Criminal Minds as part of a controversial plan to “refresh” the cast. Fans were outraged, and AJ herself was devastated. She fought hard to return, and after a massive fan campaign, she was back on screen as JJ. But the experience left scars—constant pressure to prove herself and fear of being replaced lingered behind her smile.
Away from the cameras, AJ is a devoted mom. She often had to juggle long shooting days with the exhausting reality of raising two children. At one point, her son even appeared on Criminal Minds as JJ’s child, blurring the line between fiction and real life. That unique overlap brought touching moments—but also emotional strain, especially when storylines hit too close to home.
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