Jason John Cook (born September 13, 1980) is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and film producer best known for the soap opera television roles of Shawn-Douglas Brady on Days of Our Lives from 1999 to 2006, Matt Hunter on General Hospital from 2008 to 2012, and most recently writer and director of State of Bacon, the world's first feature film on bacon.

Biography

Cook was born in Camden, New Jersey to Bill Cook (a licensed civil engineer in California) and JoAnn (a pre-school teacher). Growing up in Somerdale, he has two sisters, Michelle and Janean, and a brother, Michael. When he was very young, his family moved to California. At an early age, Jason began studying the piano. As his musical skills improved, he got jobs performing at occasional weddings. He did not consider acting until high school, when he served as an emergency replacement in Whodunnit. A friend of Jason's mother, whose husband was an agent and manager for child actors, helped Jason get his first auditions and roles. Jason attended Westlake High School in Westlake Village, California and graduated in 1998.

Jason attended Moorpark College, a two-year junior college, in Moorpark, California and completed his freshman year in the spring semester of 1999. While attending Moorpark College he was active on the speech and debate teams, competing nationally.