Nip/Tuck actor dies - as wife shares heartbreaking tribute
'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,' Kelly McMahon told Deadline.
'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.'
The Australian star, who was the son of former Prime Minister Billy McMahon, started his career as a model before getting into acting in the late 80s. He appeared in Home and Away between 1990 and 1991 before making his feature acting debut opposite Elliott Gould in Wet and Wild Summer!
He soon moved to Hollywood to focus on his acting career and appeared in NBC's Another World in 1993 before getting roles in Profiler and then Charmed as Cole Turner.
Fans may know him from when he landed his first series lead in Ryan Murphy's Nip/Tuck, which ran for six seasons and gained a Golden Globe nomination for his role as Dr Christian Troy.
With his popularity as a leading man, he soon starred in FBI: Most Wanted as Jess LaCroix for three seasons before leaving in 2022. His final two movies were as Scally in The Surfer and Chick Carlson in The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat.
He also played Prime Minister Stephen Roos in Netflix's The Residence this year. Not only was he a hit leading man, but he also voiced Dr Doom in the 2005 Fantastic Four video game.
Julian married Dannii Minogue in 1994 after meeting her on the set of Home and Away a few years prior. He even starred in her music video for This Is It, which was about the couple's relationship.
They spent a lot of time apart due to his busy career in the US and her career in the UK. A year and a half later, they went their separate ways.
In 1999, he married Baywatch star Brooke Burns, with the two welcoming a daughter in 2000 before their split in 2001. He then married for a third time in 2014 to Kelly Paniagua.
He previously spoke about being in America while feeling Australian. He said: " "I feel like I'm Australian on the inside and American on the outside or something. I would never want to leave it behind either.
"I love Australians, Australianisms, I love my part of being Australian. I love where I grew up and how I grew up and, you know, I wouldn't change it for the world."
The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Rose McGowan leads celebrity tributes for Julian McMahon as Charmed cast grieves their Australian co-star: 'A force of brilliance'
US actress Rose McGowan leads the celebrity tributes for Julian McMahon, who has died, aged 56, after a private health battle. The former Home and Away star's wife, Kelly Paniagua, revealed on Friday that he had passed away after secretly battling cancer. News of the beloved actor's death has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, with celebrities taking to social media to offer heartfelt tributes. Rose, 51, who starred alongside Julian in the hit series Charmed, took to Instagram on Saturday to pay homage to the star. She re-shared an illustration of Julian wearing what appeared to be angel wings. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Captioning the image, Rose remembered Julian as a 'force of brilliance.' 'Oh Julian, you force of brilliance,' she wrote. 'For you, your family, and your loving fans all over the world, I pray for comfort.' Rose also commented on the original post from artist 'Stagwarlock'. 'Beautiful art of a beautiful soul,' she wrote, to which the artist replied: '@rosemcgowan as sad as he was magnetic.' Fellow Charmed co-star Brian Krause, who played Leo Wyatt on the hit series, also shared his condolences. He posted a photo of Julian beaming broadly while remembering the actor as a 'kind soul'. 'Sad day for our Charmed family!' Brian captioned the image. 'Julian was one of the funniest, devilishly handsome and kind souls! Prayers to his family and close friends. He will surely be missed!' Brian wrote. His post was met with an outpouring of condolences from fans and followers. 'RIP JULIAN, our Cole Turner, gone too soon, now reunited with Shannen in Heaven,' one fan wrote, referring to fellow Chamed star Shannen Doherty who passed away in July 2024. Another chimed in with a similar: 'Nooo! Not Cole!!! So heartbreaking. F-Cancer. The only comfort is that I'm sure Shannen welcomed him with open arms. 'What a tremendously amazing actor. He could play a hero or villain beautifully. Gone too soon. Condolences to his family.' Holly Marie Combs, who starred as Piper Halliwell on the hit show, joined her Charmed alumni with a tribute. She shared a clip from a fan account that showed a montage of Julian behind-the-scenes from the filming of Charmed. The video shows the Aussie actor hamming it up with castmates including Alyssa Milano and Shannen Doherty. 'Sad day for our Charmed family!' he wrote. 'My favourite pain in the a** ever,' she wrote, augmenting the sentiment with silver heart emojis. Julian starred alongside Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano on the cult Aaron Spelling-created magical drama. He played Cole Turner, the half-demon ex-husband of Alyssa's character Phoebe Halliwell. Quickly becoming a fan-favourite, Julian had a starring role in the series for three seasons before returning in the seventh season in a guest capacity. During his time on Charmed, Julian was also romantically linked to Doherty, with the pair dating briefly during the show's third season in 2000–2001. Most recently, Julian starred alongside Nicholas Cage in Stan original film The Surfer. 'We're heartbroken to hear of the passing of Julian McMahon. His extraordinary talent and presence left a lasting mark on everyone he worked with, including the team behind The Surfer,' the Stan official Instagram account posted on Saturday. 'These words from Australian Producer Robert Connolly reflect the deep respect and affection he inspired.' Connolly penned: 'Julian was an exceptional gentleman, a consummate professional, a stunning actor and an absolute delight to work with. 'His performance in The Surfer is a triumph – one among many great performances in an incredible career – and a tour de force celebration of his skill and presence on our screens. 'His huge commitment to the film took Julian from the beaches of Western Australia, to its world premiere in Cannes, to the US and beyond, and we were all so very lucky to have shared this journey with such a gifted and exceptional performer. 'A true gift in all our careers to have had the chance to work together with such a wonderful person.' Julian's wife of 11 years, Kelly Paniagua, gave a statement to Deadline on Friday which read: '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.' Kelly - whom he married in 2014 - continued by expressing the love Julian had for his fans and those around him and what being an actor meant to him during his life. '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,' she said. '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,' she added.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Julian McMahon honored by Nicolas Cage, Rose McGowan and more co-stars after shock cancer death at 56
Tributes have poured in from fans and friends alike after Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon died at 56 following a private health struggle. The 56-year-old Australian-American actor had been secretly battling cancer, his widow Kelly revealed in a heartbreaking statement on Friday. Julian's last public appearance was alongside Nicolas Cage at SXSW in Austin, Texas back in March, as they promoted their new psychological thriller The Surfer. Now Nicolas has shared his reaction to the 'deeply saddening news,' sharing: 'I spent six weeks working with Julian, and he was the most talented of actors.' He added: 'Our scenes together on The Surfer were amongst my favorites I have ever participated in, and Julian is one of my favorite people. He was a kind and intelligent man. My love to his family,' via Deadline. Rose McGowan, who acted with Julian on Charmed, shared fan art of him to her Insta Stories and wrote: 'oh Julian you force of brilliance, wild talent and humour. For you, your family and loving fans all over the world, I pray comfort.' Dylan Walsh, who along with Julian was one of the two lead characters of their series Nip/Tuck, shared his reaction to his old colleague's untimely death. 'I'm stunned,' he said. 'We rode this wave together and I loved him. My heart goes out to Kelly and [their daughter] 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.' Julian's longtime Nip/Tuck love interest Kelly Carlson disclosed in an Instagram video that she had 'just heard' of his death and was 'completely shocked and saddened by it. Jeez, I didn't know he wasn't well for awhile.' Expressing her condolences to his family, she said that 'it's tough to process a little bit, because he played on on-and-off husband for several years, was a good friend and my acting partner.' She thanked 'for a great, great six-seven years on Nip/Tuck together, and we had so much fun. Everybody had so much fun.' Kelly noted that fans of their series 'are gonna be really upset and I don't blame you. He was the energy, and the charisma and the humor and the looks and everything of Nip/Tuck. And so I hope he had a peaceful journey. I wish him a peaceful journey and I know he had a full, great life, so that's a good thing.' Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, whose production company was behind Julian's hit series FBI: Most Wanted, responded to the 'shocking news' by saying: 'All of us at Wolf Entertainment are deeply saddened by Julian's passing and our condolences go out to his entire family.' 'This is terribly sad news about Julian,' wrote Ioan Gruffud, who acted with him in the Fantastic Four movies from 2005 to 2007. 'Even though we played each other's nemeses, there was always so much lightness and laughter working together,' Ioan continued. 'Every encounter with him was a joy. It was an honor to be Dr. Richards to his Dr. Doom. My heart goes out to his wife and family. God speed Julian.' Their Fantastic Four co-star Michael Chiklis wrote on Instagram that he was 'devastated to hear of the passing of my friend Julian. Life is so precious and fragile. My condolences to his family. RIP Jules.' Holly Marie-Combs, another Charmed star, shared: 'One of a kind is an understatement. Your unyielding zest for life and crazy making sense of humor will be sorely missed. The joy and laughter you were the direct cause of will always be remembered. I hope you find our lady friend and dance in those rose petals.' In a separate tribute posted to her Insta Stories, she lovingly referred to her onetime castmate as 'My favorite pain in the a** ever.' Her Charmed castmate Brian Krause wrote: 'Sad day for our Charmed family! Julian was one of the funniest, devilishly handsome and kind souls! Prayers to his family and close friends! He will surely be missed!' In her statement on Julian's death, his widow Kelly, whom he married last year, wrote: '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, she added in her statement obtained by Deadline. The talented actor was best known for his role as Dr. Christian Troy on the FX series Nip/Tuck. He starred alongside Dylan Walsh who portrayed Sean McNamara in the campy medical drama which ran for six seasons from 2003 to 2010. The star was even nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Television Series in 2004 where he was bested by Ian McShane for his role in HBO series Deadwood. Julian later starred as Jess LaCroix on the CBS series FBI: Most Wanted beginning 2020 but made a surprise exit in March 2022 after three seasons. He previously made his name on Australian television soap opera Home & Away in which he starred as main star Ben Lucini from 1990 to 1991. The actor went on to star as Detective John Grant in American crime drama Profiler from 1996 to 2000. He then won the hearts of many as he portrayed Cole Turner in Charmed seasons 3 through 5 from 2000 to 2003 before returning as a guest for season 7 in 2005. The Sydney, Australia native also had success on the big screen as he starred as iconic supervillain Dr. Doom in two Marvel movies Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007). He also starred alongside Sandra Bullock in 2007 supernatural psychological thriller Premonition. Julian and wife Kelly had been together for 11 years before marrying in a romantic ceremony in Lake Tahoe, a lakeside area on the edge of California and Nevada, in 2014. It was his third marriage. Julian was previously married to model and Baywatch actress Brooke Burns from 1999 to 2001 as they share 25-year-old daughter Madison Elizabeth McMahon together. He also was famously married to Australian singer and TV personality Dannii Minogue from 1994 to 1995. Julian also has ties to the government of Australia as he was the only son of Sir William McMahon, a former Prime Minister of Australia, who served from 1971 to 1972 and held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. He talked about his childhood in an interview with the Herald Sun in 2018 as he said: 'My Dad... was born in 1908. That's a very different time to what it was when he was raising me. 'He must have gone through a strange misunderstanding of how you were parented in 1908 versus how you parent in 1972; it would have been so conflicting. Also how you be a husband in that period of time would have been different. ' His final role was a bit of a full circle moment as he portrayed the Australian Prime Minister in Netflix murder mystery series The Residence.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Julian McMahon's death is a sad, dramatic end to a magnetic talent, whose star was on the rise again
The Australian-American actor Julian McMahon, who has died from cancer aged 56, had a long and accomplished career. Like many Australian actors, it began with a soap opera – McMahon played Ben Lucini in 150 episodes of Home and Away – but he soon broke free to pursue a more ambitious and challenging oeuvre. McMahon, the son of former prime minister Sir William 'Billy' McMahon, made a name for himself overseas through US television in his 30s. On supernatural drama Charmed he played Cole Turner, a half-human, half-demon assassin turned love interest for one of the witches he was hired to kill. McMahon took to the show's campy tone with aplomb, delivering lines like 'I'm going straight to hell, cause it's got to be a sin to look this good' with a twinkle in his eye. His next big role was in Ryan Murphy's drama Nip/Tuck, as the arrogant plastic surgeon Dr Christian Troy. In the early 2000s the show made headlines for its frank depiction of nudity and sex – the Guardian described McMahon's character as 'a vagina-seeking missile' – but it also showed his talent for bringing vulnerability to suave but damaged men. It was around this time McMahon became a favourite to succeed Pierce Brosnan as James Bond, but missed out to Daniel Craig – instead he landed the role of Victor Von Doom, AKA Doctor Doom, the supervillain of two Fantastic Four movies. Over the years McMahon left Hollywood for home to appear in various Australian features – among them Stephan Elliott's raucous 2018 comedy Swinging Safari, in which he played an attender of a 1970s key party, alongside Guy Pearce and his former sister-in-law Kylie Minogue, and the 2012 horror movie Bait, in which he played a robber in a supermarket that's been flooded by a tsunami and monstered by sharks. That film was a big hit overseas, where it became, in less than two weeks, the most successful Australian movie ever released in China. In a full circle move, he recently played the Australian prime minister in Netflix's comedy-mystery The Residence (again opposite Minogue). Despite his career being well into its third decade, there's a very sad feeling surrounding McMahon's death that his talent has been dramatically cut short; that his star was very much on the rise again. One of his last roles was opposite Nicolas Cage as the villain in Lorcan Finnegan's intensely trippy, sun-scorched thriller The Surfer, which premiered out of competition at last year's Cannes film festival. McMahon played Scally, the leader of a gang of violent hoodlums from a small coastal town who patrol the local beach and harass visitors. And what a performance it was. Not everybody can hold their own against an actor like Cage, but McMahon pulled it off perfectly, countering the star's off-the-wall style with a seething, magnetic portrait of toxic masculinity – darkly charismatic and creepy as all get-out. In one memorable scene, which you can watch on YouTube, McMahon slurps down a beer and implores Cage to 'drink deep, eat your fill, turn around from this town and never come back'. Throughout the film he projects a layered, paradoxically chummy kind of menace: calm and imperturbable, then, suddenly, explosively violent and unsettling. McMahon had amazingly bright and burning blue eyes, the colour of the sea. They were even more striking in person – I know because I was lucky enough to meet him on the set of The Surfer in Western Australia, where we chatted about this role and work ethic. On that day, McMahon was philosophical. 'You want to be open to new suggestions, new thoughts, new ideas, and new creativity, wherever that's coming from,' he told me. And he was funny, riffing on the something he may not have missed about his home country – the insects: 'Australian flies just come and sit on your face, and they'll stay there for an hour or two.' He is survived by his wife, Kelly Paniagua, and his daughter, Madison, from a previous marriage.
