Julian McMahon dead at 56 after Nip/Tuck and Fantastic Four actor's ‘private battle' with cancer
It was not publicly known that the actor, best known for his starring roles on Nip/Tuck, Fantastic Four, Charmed and FBI: Most Wanted, was sick prior to his death.
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On Friday, Julian's family announced that he passed away on Wednesday, July 2nd, in Clearwater, Florida after a private cancer battle.
His wife, Kelly McMahon, said in a statement: '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.'
Kelly concluded in the heartfelt message she first shared with Deadline: '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.'
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The Guardian
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Mother Play review – Sigrid Thornton is terrific as a gin-soaked, monstrous matriarch
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Like Williams, Vogel is mining a lot of her own biography here – her mother was also named Phyllis, and worked as a secretary for the Postal Service after the breakdown of her marriage – and she traces the outline of a family in slow decline with poignancy and skill. The rot sets in during the first eviction, as Martha and her elder brother Carl (Ash Flanders) move boxes and furniture around while Phyllis drinks herself into a state of grotesque self-pity. The kids are only 12 and 14, and yet already they seem like the parents to a stubborn and petulant child. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning As the play progresses and the narrative moves inexorably through the decades – it opens in the early 60s and ends in the present day – this parental imbalance only worsens. 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Flanders is solid in the lesser part of Carl, and together the cast paint a convincing and intricate family dynamic. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Director Lee Lewis gets many things right, which makes the ones she gets wrong seem more egregious, somehow. Those performances are beautifully calibrated and expertly pitched, but Vogel's startling tonal shifts and narrative longueurs seem to trip Lewis up; too often the production falters, pitching into silliness and camp. One scene in a gay bar – where Phyllis starts dancing a conga line with her adult children – feels desperate, and the less said about a giant cockroach that waves at the audience the better. This reticence seeps into Christina Smith's design, which is surprisingly banal and unwieldy – although not her costumes, which are little treasure troves of period wit and personality. The family's five different abodes are simultaneously underdone and overly complicated, necessitating some clunky transitions. Niklas Pajanti's inventive lighting helps, pitching from glamorous to desolate as the family's fortunes change. Kelly Ryall's compositions are similarly mercurial, jaunty one minute and plaintive the next. Vogel is a fascinating and idiosyncratic playwright, and if this production of Mother Play doesn't quite coalesce, it still achieves moments of beauty and quiet awe. That temporal scope allows the actors to track the emotional beats of their characters' lives like pins on a map, and if political and social events tend to disappear into the background, their effect on the family's interpersonal relationships is forcefully underlined. The moral battle between liberalism and conservatism, those ideological polarities currently tearing the US apart, are depicted here as fissures of the self and the family unit, a long time coming. Memory plays are by definition fragmentary and elliptical, so perhaps the staccato rhythms and jolting tonal shifts are necessary. The cliche of the monstrous feminine, where the mother becomes the repository of all the family's sickness and perversion, is subtly but surely unpacked and debunked. What we're left with is a mother and a daughter tremulously reaching for care, compassion and connection. In this way, it feels vital and contemporary. Mother Play, by the Melbourne Theatre Company, is on at the Sumner theatre until 2 August
Daily Mail
an hour ago
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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
an hour 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.
