What Is Days Of Our Lives Alum Jason Cook Doing Now?

Jason Cook made a name for himself in soap operas, starring on "Days of Our Lives" as Shawn Douglas-Brady, the son of super couple Bo Brady (Peter Reckell) and Hope Williams (Kristian Alfonso), and one-half of the duo Shawn Brady and Belle Black (Martha Madison). He joined the cast in 1999 and played the part for seven years until his departure in 2006, after which he was replaced by actor Brandon Beemer. Per Soaps, Cook wanted to pursue other opportunities and was reportedly unhappy about the changes made by former head writer James E. Reill on the show. "There have been a lot of changes that have really made working here difficult, especially dealing with a writer who was wrecking Salem for a year and trying to fend that off," he said. "From day one, though, the thing that always stayed true is the cast and crew, which have been amazing." While he was sad to leave his castmates, Cook had no regrets about his decision. "I know it's the right decision."

Speaking with Soap Opera Digest in 2016, "DOOL" executive producer Ken Corday said they worked on getting Cook back on the show after he briefly returned in 2015 for the show's 50th anniversary season. But Cook also wanted to expand his career, and Corday told him "he couldn't do both" (via Soap Opera Network). So they replaced him with Beemer. Since leaving "DOOL," Cook has stayed busy working on other creative pursuits.

Jason Cook has enjoyed a steady stream of work since saying goodbye to "Days of Our Lives" as Shawn Brady. In 2008, he joined the cast of "General Hospital" as neurosurgeon Matt Hunter, appearing in more than 300 episodes before exiting in 2012. During his time on the soap, Cook also appeared in movies like "Turbulent Skies" as John Wilson and "Son Of An Afghan Farmer" as Ken. He also made a guest appearance on the FOX dating game show "The Choice" and hosted the Miss World pageant in both 2011 and 2012. In addition, he and his "Days of Our Lives" co-star Arianne Zucker (Nicole Walker) teamed up to produce and direct the documentary "LifeCHANGE" in 2011, featuring six young adults who are given the opportunity to travel across different countries, meet new people, and give back to those in need.

In 2014, Cook also produced and directed the mockumentary film "State of Bacon," inspired by the annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival held in Des Moines, Iowa. He then appeared in the horror thriller film "Dark Awakening" as James Thomas and on the hit FX series "American Crime Story" as Matt Lauer. His other acting credits include roles in "Girlfriend Killer," "A Christmas Cruise," "Abduction Runs in the Family," and "Stolen In Her Sleep."

Since leaving "Days of Our Lives," Jason Cook has fulfilled his dream of becoming a successful director. In 2018, he wrote, produced, and directed his first feature-length film, "The Creatress," about an award-winning writer seeking literary revenge on a critic. The movie stars Lindy Booth as acclaimed novelist Eryn Bellow, with legendary filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich playing her rival Theo Mencken. While promoting the film, Cook gushed about how proud he was of the project to Soap Opera Digest. "I'm really proud of this film. ... It's an improbable story with the way that it got made with the kind of story it is," he said. "It's not conventional ... It's just a different kind of movie experience."

In addition to "The Creatress," Cook also wrote and directed the movie "Four For Fun," which was selected as one of the feature films to screen at the Sedona International Film Festival in 2022. He also released a novel, "Love Life to Death," a thriller set in the 1950s about a scientific cult called The Order. Cook told SOD that he'd always dreamed of becoming an author. "I love it," he said of the book. "I've always loved writing." More recently, he was seen on UPtv's "Something's Brewing" and on Lifetime's "Sins of the Preacher's Wife" in 2023.