After a courageous and private fight with cancer, Julian McMahon — beloved star of FBI: Most Wanted and Nip/Tuck — has passed away at the age of 56.
In a heartfelt statement released on Friday, his wife Kelly revealed that the Australian-American actor had been quietly battling the illness away from the public eye.
“With an open heart, I wish to share that my beloved husband, Julian McMahon, passed away peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer,” Kelly shared.
Julian’s last public appearance was in March at SXSW in Austin, Texas, where he promoted the psychological thriller The Surfer alongside Nicolas Cage. At the time, he appeared noticeably slender but spirited.
Married just last year in 2024, Kelly spoke tenderly about Julian’s deep love for his family, friends, and fans, as well as his unwavering passion for acting.
“Julian loved life. He cherished his family, his friends, and his work. Above all, he loved his fans. His greatest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible.”
In a touching statement obtained by Deadline, Julian McMahon’s wife Kelly appealed for privacy during their time of grief. “We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all those to whom Julian brought joy to continue finding happiness in life. We are deeply grateful for the memories he left behind,” she said.
Julian McMahon’s rise to fame began with his iconic role as Dr. Christian Troy in the FX medical drama Nip/Tuck. The series, which aired from 2003 to 2010, ran for six seasons and saw him star opposite Dylan Walsh’s Sean McNamara. His compelling performance on the show cemented him as a gifted actor in the industry.
Earlier, Julian earned critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Television Series in 2004 for his role in HBO’s Deadwood — though he lost the award to Ian McShane.
From 2020, Julian portrayed Jess LaCroix on CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted, a role he played for three seasons before his sudden departure in March 2022.
His career launched in Australia, where he gained notoriety as Ben Lucini on the soap opera Home & Away (1990–1991). He later starred as Detective John Grant in the American crime drama Profiler (1996–2000), and became a fan favorite as Cole Turner on Charmed from 2000 to 2003, returning for a guest appearance in 2005.
On the big screen, Julian found success as the villainous Dr. Doom in Fantastic Four (2005) and its sequel Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). He also starred alongside Sandra Bullock in the supernatural thriller Premonition (2007).
Julian and Kelly’s love story spanned over a decade before they married in an elegant 2014 ceremony at Lake Tahoe, the serene lakeside community straddling California and Nevada. This was Julian’s third marriage.
His first marriage was to actress and model Brooke Burns from 1999 to 2001; together they have a daughter, Madison Elizabeth McMahon, now 25. He was also married to Australian singer and TV personality Dannii Minogue from 1994 to 1995.
Beyond his acting career, Julian carried a unique legacy as the only son of Sir William McMahon, the former Australian Prime Minister who led the Liberal Party from 1971 to 1972. Reflecting on his upbringing in a 2018 Herald Sun interview, Julian remarked, “My Dad… was born in 1908. That’s a very different time compared to when he was raising me. The parenting styles and expectations of a husband were worlds apart.”
Fittingly, one of Julian’s last roles was that of an Australian Prime Minister in Netflix’s murder mystery series The Residence, bringing his journey full circle.