Julian McMahon, the charismatic Australian-American actor celebrated for his compelling performances across a diverse range of television and film roles, has passed away at the age of 56. His wife, Kelly McMahon, confirmed that he died on July 2, 2025, following a private battle with cancer.
In a heartfelt statement shared with outlets like Deadline and TVLine, Kelly McMahon expressed, "With an open heart, I wish to share with the world that my beloved husband, Julian McMahon, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer. Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible. We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all of those to whom Julian brought joy, to continue to find joy in life. We are grateful for the memories." While one report from Hindustan Times mentioned a previous public disclosure of a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis in December, his wife’s statement clearly attributes his passing to cancer.
Born in Sydney, Australia, on July 27, 1968, McMahon’s acting journey began in his home country with roles in soap operas such as The Power, the Passion (1989) and Home and Away (1990-1991). He transitioned to American television in 1993 with a stint on NBC’s daytime soap Another World, where he portrayed Ian Rain, a role he fondly recalled in a 2020 interview with Soap Opera Digest, noting the passion of soap actors.
His career gained significant momentum with his move to primetime. He was a series regular on NBC’s crime drama Profiler as Detective John Grant from 1996 to 2000. Many fans will fondly remember his captivating portrayal of the demonic Cole Turner in The WB’s hit supernatural series Charmed, a role he held for three seasons (2000-2003) and returned for as a guest in 2005.
McMahon landed his breakout leading role in 2003 as the charming and morally complex plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy in Ryan Murphy’s critically acclaimed FX drama Nip/Tuck. His compelling performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination in 2004. The show ran for six seasons, concluding in 2010.
A decade later, he took on another prominent television role as Jess LaCroix, the leader of the FBI’s Most Wanted Unit, in the CBS series FBI: Most Wanted. He led the procedural for three seasons before his unexpected exit in March 2022.
Beyond television, McMahon made his mark in feature films, notably as the iconic supervillain Dr. Doom in Marvel’s Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). His filmography also includes Premonition (2007) alongside Sandra Bullock, RED, Paranoia, and You’re Not You. His most recent film appearance was in The Surfer (2024), co-starring Nicolas Cage, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
In a poignant full-circle moment, McMahon’s final acting role was as the Australian Prime Minister in Netflix’s murder mystery series The Residence, a nod to his own father, Billy McMahon, who served as Australia’s Prime Minister from 1971 to 1972.
Tributes have poured in from his colleagues. Dylan Walsh, his co-star from Nip/Tuck, shared his grief with Deadline, stating, "I’m stunned. We rode this wave together and I loved him. My heart goes out to Kelly and Maddy. Jules! I know you’d want me to say something to make you smile — all the inside jokes. All those years you had my back, and my god, we laughed. My heart is with you. Rest in peace." Dick Wolf, the executive producer of the FBI franchise, also expressed his sorrow, telling Deadline, "What shocking news. All of us at Wolf Entertainment are deeply saddened by Julian’s passing and our condolences go out to his entire family." Nicolas Cage, who worked with McMahon on The Surfer, praised him as "the most talented of actors" and "one of my favorite people," describing him as "a kind and intelligent man."
McMahon was married three times. He was first married to Australian singer Dannii Minogue (1994-1995), then to model and actress Brooke Burns (1999-2001), with whom he shared his daughter, Madison Elizabeth McMahon, born in 2000. He married Kelly McMahon in 2014, after they had been together for 11 years.
Julian McMahon leaves behind a legacy of memorable characters and powerful performances that resonated with audiences worldwide. His passing marks a significant loss for the entertainment industry, and he will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and legions of fans.
