# Julian McMahon
**Julian McMahon** was an Australian actor best known for television roles as the half-demon Cole Turner on *Charmed* and the plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy on *Nip/Tuck*, and for playing the villain [Doctor Doom](https://www.edgepedia.org/doctor-doom) in two *Fantastic Four* films. Born Julian Dana William McMahon in Sydney in 1968, he was the second of three children of Sir William McMahon, who served as [Prime Minister of Australia](https://www.edgepedia.org/prime-minister-of-australia) from March 1971 to December 1972, and Lady Sonia McMahon[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0573037/). He died of cancer on 2 July 2025 in Florida at the age of 56[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/11/julian-mcmahon-cause-of-death-cancer-details).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name and birth | Julian Dana William McMahon, born 1968 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0573037/) |
| Family | Son of Sir William McMahon, Prime Minister of Australia from March 1971 to December 1972, and Lady Sonia McMahon[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0573037/) |
| Breakthrough roles | Cole Turner on *Charmed* (from 2000); Dr. Christian Troy on *Nip/Tuck* (FX, 2003-2010)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/julian-mcmahon/) |
| Film villain | Doctor Doom in *Fantastic Four* (2005) and *Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer* (2007)[4](https://apnews.com/article/9e02c5acd29c9c1ad14675787cabfa2e) |
| Recognition | Golden Globe nomination for *Nip/Tuck*; Excellence in Entertainment Award at G'Day USA: Australia Week 2008[5](https://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2025/07/05/julian-mcmahon-star-des-series-nip-tuck-et-charmed-est-mort_6618820_3382.html) • [6](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/f8bff367-20b4-4466-abb6-ce17dc4926a1/-/inline/no/The%20Surfer_Press%20Kit%20MASTER.pdf) |
| Marriages | Dannii Minogue (1994, divorced 1995); Brooke Burns (1999, divorced 2001); Kelly Paniagua (2014)[5](https://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2025/07/05/julian-mcmahon-star-des-series-nip-tuck-et-charmed-est-mort_6618820_3382.html) |
| Death | 2 July 2025, aged 56, in Florida; cause of death was lung metastasis due to head and neck cancer[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/11/julian-mcmahon-cause-of-death-cancer-details) |
## Early life and modeling
McMahon was raised in part by nannies and in boarding schools and embarked early on a career as a model, working primarily in commercials[7](https://www.avclub.com/julian-mcmahon-obituary-nip-tuck-fantastic-four) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0573037/). His appearances in 1987 Levi's commercials, including one in which he pulled a pair of 501 jeans over his briefs, brought his looks to the attention of producers at the [Seven Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/seven-network)[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/10/julian-mcmahon-obituary).
## Australian and American soap operas
Producers cast him in the daytime serial *The Power, The Passion* (1989-90) as Kane Edmonds, a medical student[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/10/julian-mcmahon-obituary). When that soap was dropped after a year, he joined *Home and Away*, playing the easygoing soldier Ben Lucini from 1990 to 1991, a run of 150 episodes[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/10/julian-mcmahon-obituary) • [9](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/05/julian-mcmahon-actor-talent-cause-of-death).
He made the jump to American daytime television as Ian Rain on NBC's *Another World* from 1992 to 1994[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/julian-mcmahon/). His first primetime role came as the task force detective John Grant on the police procedural *Profiler* (NBC, 1996-2000)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/julian-mcmahon/). After *Profiler* ended, producer [Aaron Spelling](https://www.edgepedia.org/aaron-spelling) cast him on the witchcraft dramedy *Charmed* (The WB, 1998-2006) in 2000 as Cole Turner, a half-demon and former husband of [Phoebe Halliwell](https://www.edgepedia.org/phoebe-halliwell)[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/julian-mcmahon/).
## Nip/Tuck and film work
**Christian Troy.** *Nip/Tuck*, Ryan Murphy's medical drama on FX (2003-2010), made McMahon a star. He and [Dylan Walsh](https://www.edgepedia.org/dylan-walsh), who played Dr. Sean McNamara, led the series as co-owners of the McNamara/Troy plastic-surgery practice[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/10/julian-mcmahon-obituary). The show's first season was the most-watched cable program of 2003, and by its second season *TV Guide* called it the "coolest show on television"; the drama was canceled in 2010 after 100 episodes[8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/10/julian-mcmahon-obituary). The role of the charming, ethically flexible surgeon earned McMahon a Golden Globe nomination[5](https://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2025/07/05/julian-mcmahon-star-des-series-nip-tuck-et-charmed-est-mort_6618820_3382.html).
The television success carried into film. McMahon played the villain Doctor Doom in *Fantastic Four* (2005) and *[Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer](https://www.edgepedia.org/fantastic-four-rise-of-the-silver-surfer)* (2007)[4](https://apnews.com/article/9e02c5acd29c9c1ad14675787cabfa2e). His other screen roles included *Premonition* (2007) opposite [Sandra Bullock](https://www.edgepedia.org/sandra-bullock), *Red* (2010), *Paranoia* (2013), and, late in his career, the beach-bully leader opposite [Nicolas Cage](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicolas-cage) in *The Surfer* (2024)[10](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julian_mcmahon) • [8](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/10/julian-mcmahon-obituary).
## Later television
McMahon remained a fixture on American television in the 2010s and 2020s, with roles in Marvel's *Runaways*, *Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency*, and the miniseries *Childhood's End*[6](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/f8bff367-20b4-4466-abb6-ce17dc4926a1/-/inline/no/The%20Surfer_Press%20Kit%20MASTER.pdf). He led the FBI procedural *FBI: Most Wanted* as Jess LaCroix for three seasons, leaving the series in 2022[11](https://as.com/meristation/cine/muere-julian-mcmahon-a-los-56-anos-doctor-doom-en-los-4-fantasticos-y-christian-troy-en-niptuck-n/). His final television role was a fitting one in a family sense: he played the Australian prime minister Stephen Roos in the Netflix mystery series *[The Residence](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-residence-tv-series)* (2025)[11](https://as.com/meristation/cine/muere-julian-mcmahon-a-los-56-anos-doctor-doom-en-los-4-fantasticos-y-christian-troy-en-niptuck-n/).
## Death
McMahon's wife, Kelly McMahon, announced on 2 July 2025 that he had died peacefully after what she described as a valiant effort to overcome cancer[4](https://apnews.com/article/9e02c5acd29c9c1ad14675787cabfa2e). A later medical examiner's report identified the cause as lung metastasis due to head and neck cancer[2](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/11/julian-mcmahon-cause-of-death-cancer-details). Former co-stars paid tribute, including [Alyssa Milano](https://www.edgepedia.org/alyssa-milano), his *Charmed* scene partner, who wrote that Julian was "more than my TV husband"[4](https://apnews.com/article/9e02c5acd29c9c1ad14675787cabfa2e).
## References
1. [Julian McMahon - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0573037/)
2. [Details of Julian McMahon's cancer revealed a week after his death aged 56, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jul/11/julian-mcmahon-cause-of-death-cancer-details)
3. [Julian McMahon - Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/julian-mcmahon/)
4. [Julian McMahon, actor who appeared in 'Fantastic Four' films and TV show 'Charmed,' has died, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/9e02c5acd29c9c1ad14675787cabfa2e)
5. [Julian McMahon, star des séries « Nip/Tuck » et « Charmed », est mort, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2025/07/05/julian-mcmahon-star-des-series-nip-tuck-et-charmed-est-mort_6618820_3382.html)
6. [The Surfer press kit, Prezly](https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/f8bff367-20b4-4466-abb6-ce17dc4926a1/-/inline/no/The%20Surfer_Press%20Kit%20MASTER.pdf)
7. [R.I.P. Julian McMahon, Nip/Tuck and Fantastic Four star, The A.V. Club](https://www.avclub.com/julian-mcmahon-obituary-nip-tuck-fantastic-four)
8. [Julian McMahon obituary, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/10/julian-mcmahon-obituary)
9. [Julian McMahon's death is a sad, dramatic end to a magnetic talent, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/05/julian-mcmahon-actor-talent-cause-of-death)
10. [Julian McMahon Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/julian_mcmahon)
11. [Muere Julian McMahon a los 56 años, Doctor Doom en 'Los 4 Fantásticos' y Christian Troy en 'Nip/Tuck', AS](https://as.com/meristation/cine/muere-julian-mcmahon-a-los-56-anos-doctor-doom-en-los-4-fantasticos-y-christian-troy-en-niptuck-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Australian actors › Surnames L to N*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license