AJ Cook 'almost turned down Criminal Minds return'

[Brian Damage]

AJ Cook has revealed that she considered turning down the opportunity to return to Criminal Minds.

The actress told TV Done Wright that her "defences were way up" after she was previously dropped from the show.

Cook admitted: "I had to think long and hard on it. My ego gave the initial response, which was 'No way'... and I had to talk myself off the edge a little bit."

However, Cook revealed that her brief absence from the CBS drama now feels like "a distant memory".

"It all just seemed like a bad dream," she said. "It feels like I never even left. It's great to be back with the family."

Cook also claimed that her character JJ will have a more vital role on Criminal Minds in future, having switched positions from media liaison to profiler.

"I wasn't going to go back if we couldn't figure out a way to use her properly," she said. "She's there because she belongs there now! That grey area is gone and it feels really good!"

The seventh season of Criminal Minds begins on September 21 on CBS.

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