Julian McMahon, the Australian-born actor best known for his roles in Charmed, Nip/Tuck, and the Fantastic Four films, has died at the age of 56 following a private battle with cancer. His wife, Kelly Paniagua, confirmed that he passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.
Born on July 27, 1968, in Sydney, McMahon was the son of former Australian Prime Minister Sir William McMahon and Lady Sonia McMahon. He briefly studied law and economics before leaving university to pursue modeling. His early modeling work, including a high-profile Levi’s campaign, helped launch his acting career.
McMahon’s first television appearance came in the Australian soap opera The Power, The Passion, followed by a role on Home and Away. In the early 1990s, he moved to the United States and joined the cast of the NBC daytime drama Another World, playing Ian Rain from 1992 to 1994. He gained further recognition in the crime drama Profiler, playing John Grant for four seasons.
His breakout came with the role of Cole Turner on the WB supernatural series Charmed, where he played a demon-turned-love-interest from 2000 to 2003. He went on to star in Nip/Tuck as Dr. Christian Troy, a charismatic and morally complex plastic surgeon. The FX series ran for six seasons and earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.
McMahon also found success in film, taking on the role of Victor Von Doom in the 2005 adaptation of Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel. Other film credits include Premonition opposite Sandra Bullock, Red, Faces in the Crowd, and the Australian shark thriller Bait 3D. In recent years, he returned to television as FBI agent Jess LaCroix on FBI: Most Wanted, appearing in the lead role from 2020 until his exit in 2022. His final performances were in the Netflix series The Residence and the psychological thriller The Surfer, which screened at SXSW in March 2025.
In his personal life, McMahon was married three times. He wed Australian singer Dannii Minogue in 1994, though the marriage ended within a year. He later married actress Brooke Burns, with whom he shared a daughter, Madison. In 2014, he married Kelly Paniagua after a mid-air proposal during a flight to Paris.
Although McMahon’s cancer diagnosis had not been made public until his passing, he had revealed in late 2024 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In her statement, Paniagua noted his courage and strength during his illness, describing him as “valiant and peaceful.”
Colleagues and fans around the world have paid tribute to McMahon’s legacy. Co-stars from Charmed, Nip/Tuck, and Fantastic Four shared messages of admiration and grief, remembering him as both a magnetic performer and a kind, generous human being. Friends described him as humble, charismatic, and deeply devoted to his craft and his family.
Julian McMahon leaves behind a legacy of memorable performances across television and film, as well as a lasting impression on audiences and peers alike. He is survived by his wife Kelly, his daughter Madison, and countless admirers who followed his work over more than three decades in the spotlight.
