'FBI: Most Wanted', 'Nip/Tuck' star Julian McMahon dead at 56
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Actor Julian McMahon, who appeared on the first three seasons of FBI: Most Wanted and was also known for his roles in Nip/Tuck, Charmed and two Fantastic Four movies, has died at age 56 after a battle with cancer.
McMahon’s wife, Kelly Paniagua, confirmed his death in a statement shared with Deadline, telling the outlet that her husband “died peacefully.”
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“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,” Paniagua said. “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.”
McMahon’s ex-wife, actress and model Brooke Burns, also paid tribute to the actor on Instagram. “Rest in Peace,” Burns wrote over a photograph of Julian and their daughter, 25-year-old Madison McMahon.
After beginning his career as a model in his native Australia, McMahon transitioned to acting, appearing on the Down Under daytime drama The Power, the Passion. He later found fame in North America with his role on NBC’s Profiler and WB’s Charmed, where he played the demonic Cole Turner from 2000 to 2005.
“Julian McMahon was magic. That smile. That laugh. That talent. That presence,” McMahon’s Charmed co-star Alyssa Milano wrote on Instagram. “Julian was more than my TV husband. He was a dear friend. Losing him feels unreal. Too soon. Too unfair. Rest, my friend. I’ll carry your laugh with me. Forever Cole. Forever Julian.”
McMahon scored an Emmy nod in 2005 for his role as the unscrupulous Dr. Christian Troy on Ryan Murphy’s plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck.
“I’m stunned,” his co-star Dylan Walsh told Deadline. “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.”
McMahon also made his mark with Marvel fans playing the villainous Doctor Doom in two films from Fox’s Fantastic Four superhero franchise.
He later played team leader Jess LaCroix on CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted for three seasons before his surprise departure in March 2022.
“What shocking news,” FBI franchise boss Dick Wolf said in a statement to Deadline. “All of us at Wolf Entertainment are deeply saddened by Julian’s passing and our condolences go out to his entire family.”
More recently, McMahon played Australia’s Prime Minister on the Netflix whodunnit The Residence and starred opposite Nicolas Cage in The Surfer, a thriller that opened in theatres this year.
“Such deeply saddening news. I spent six weeks working with Julian, and he was the most talented of actors,” Cage told Deadline. “Our scenes together on The Surfer were amongst my favuorites I have ever participated in, and Julian is one of my favourite people. He was a kind and intelligent man. My love to his family.”
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