Born in Oshawa, Ontario, she is a Canadian actress renowned for her role as Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer "JJ" Jareau on the long-running TV series "Criminal Minds." She began her career with commercials, eventually transitioning to film and television. Early roles included parts in "The Virgin Suicides" and "Final Destination 2." With a background in dance, she initially pursued ballet before focusing on acting. She is married to Nathan Andersen and has two children.