Articles
Soap Opera Digest Vol. 25, No 32
Good Cook-IN' By: Stephanie Sloane
Just the facts
Hails From: New Jersey
Last good Movie He's seen: "Gladiator. Russell Crowe is a really good actor; he rocks."
Celebrity Crush: Christina Aguilera "She actually was on THE TONIGHT SHOW and I went over there to hear her sing. She was amazing."
Actors he admires: "Tom Cruise is awesome. Johnny Depp and Edward Norton are great, too."
On Nadia Bjorlin [Chloe]: "She's very unique. When I was first playing piano for her and she was singing one of her songs, it sent chills through my body."
Drive Me Crazy: "I still have the same car that I bought when I was 17. I saved up for two years. I'm almost afraid to buy a nice car."
A little over a year ago, Jason Cook was just anotherstudent at Moorpark Colledge, a wannabe actor majoring in speech and debate. By the time summer rolled around, he'd won the role of Bo and Hope's grown up son, Shawn, on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Life has never been the same.
Even though performing was something Cook had worked toward ever since a chance role in a high-school paly, the adjustment to the real thing wasn't easy. "When I first walked on the set, I wanted everyone to be my friend," he recalls. "I didn't want anyone to hate me because I don't think I'm a bad person. I'm not perfect, but I try to be as good a person as possiable. I quickly learned that no matter what I did, you're going to be criticized for something." Especially by some of the fans. "The conservatives have their favorites, so they're very uncomfortable with us," he notes. "A lot of fans say, 'When you came on, I hated the idea that you guys were getting screen time because you're taking away from all the people I love.' Now they say, "You're doing a great job.' "
Which wasn't always the case, to hear Cooktell it. The actor was on DAYS three months before he was dealt a dificult blow: Brandon Tyler, who had been hired with him and had become a good friend, was replaced as Philip by Jay Kenneth Johnson. Cook couldn't help wondering if he was next . "I came into work that day and didn't know [that Brandon was fired]," Cook says. "Brandon worked in the morning and got let go. By the time I got there, he had already left: everything had been taken care of." Cook was understandably shaken by the news. "When I heard, my whole body just dropped, everything dropped," he shudders. "I think my soul got ripped out of my body. And I didn't say a word. I found out what time I could come backto the studio, and I literally left. I could not be there I was in shock. We got hired together, we had been buddies up to that point, and then all of a sudden he was gone. I was thinking 'Man, I'm next.' For a long time, I was worried that I was going to get booted off. I still have a little bit of that."
But he's got some bigwigs looking out for him. "Kristian [Alfonso, Hope] really helped me out several times when I might have got in trouble for something," says Cook. "Every once in awhile, I'll get a little advice from Peter [Reckell, Bo]. If we're talking about something, he'll tell me to cover up my mic, so no one's going to hear."
Keeping Cook grounded off-screen is a close-knit family that includes his parents and three siblings. The actor still lives t home and isn't in a rush to move into his own digs. "I'm hardly at home," he notes. "My home really is the studio. I see my dressing room a lot more than I see my house. But it's good because I'm able to save a lot of money." In his spare time, Cook has a multitude of hobbies, including screenwriting and playing music. He's also a Confirmation teacher. "It's a two-year program," he explains. "We're not teachers, we're leaders. What we really do is really not a religion thing, it's more of a philosophical thing. I think I'm more of a good person that a religious person. Being religious is not all about going to church on Sunday: it's about being Christian - a good persoon in general all the time."
In between all his extracuricular activities, Cook tries to leave time to go out with his pals and meet girls. "This is how I picked up the last girl I was dating," he laughs. "This is how pimp I am. I said, 'So, one of your friends gave me your phone number, but I felt weird calling you because you didn't give it to me. So I was wondering, could you give me your number and I can call you and go out sometime?' and she's like, 'Sure!' I've always been shy. I was never the guy in high school with a bunch of girls. I was always the guy that didn't want to be there.
Where he wants to be right now is Salem, but he refuses to get too comfortable. "I think that's why some people get those egos," he reflects. "They get the job and all of a sudden, they think they're so important Getting there is only half the battle."
Rockin Robin
Filming on the same lot as THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO has its perks, like meeting your idols. Jason Cook has a brief encounter with funnyman Robin Williams. "I admire his work," says Cook. "so I went over to THE TONIGHT SHOW and sat through it. He was as Hysterical as ever. Afterward, I went around back [to wait for him]. When he came out, I said, 'Robin! Hi, my name is Jason, nice to meet you.' Shook his hand, then said, 'I think you're awesome, I love all your work.' I didn't know what to say. I was such a smuck. Usually, I could think of something funny, but I couldn't think of anything. It was the last thing on my mind. I thought, 'I should have said something funny. I guarantee he'll never remember who I am.' "
Soap Opera Digest Vol. 25, No 33
The Dating Game
Vitial Stats:
Age: 19
Birthday: September 19
Hails From: New Jersey
Status: Single
Just His Type: "I'm afraid to get [a new nicer car] because I don't want to pick up girls in it and then tell them I'm an actor. It's totally the wrong image. I've met girls who are like, 'Oh you're an actor?' and bat their eyelashes. I met my ex-girlfriend when I was working on the show and that was always in the back of my mind - I was so afraid. She knew I was psycho about it."
On meeting Girls: "I can go up to strangers and mess around with them no problem, but when it comes down to, 'Wow, that girl is really attractive, I'd love to go talk to her,' all of a sudden i'm shey."
Shades Of Shawn?: " I hung out with Kirsten [Storms, Belle] the other day, and it is really scary how much the writing echoes what were like. For example Drake [Hogestyn, John] was having a fan event, and I wasn't going. Kirsten said, 'So what are you going to do tonight?' I said, I'm going to go home and work on my screenplay.' She said, 'Oh, What about Drake's? You should come.' It was exactly like Shawn and Belle discussing tha Last Blast. It was too weird."