Julian McMahon, ‘Fantastic Four,’ ‘Nip/Tuck’ and ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ Star, Dies at 56

Julian McMahon, the suave Australian actor best known for his performances on “FBI: Most Wanted,” “Charmed,” “Nip/Tuck” and the early aughts “Fantastic Four” films, died Wednesday in Florida. He was 56 and died after a battle with cancer.

McMahon’s death was confirmed through his reps, who shared a statement from his wife, Kelly McMahon, in remembrance of her husband.

“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,” she 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.”

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“What shocking news,” Dick Wolf, producer of “FBI: Most Wanted,” said in a statement. “All of us at Wolf Entertainment are deeply saddened by Julian’s passing and our condolences go out to his entire family.”

McMahon got his start on a string of Australian TV soaps, including “The Power, the Passion” and “Home and Away.” He made his film debut playing a lifeguard in the 1992 comedy “Wet and Wild Summer,” co-starring with Elliott Gould and Christopher Atkins.

One of McMahon’s first American TV jobs was a 22-episode arc on the NBC soap opera “Another World.” He then landed a recurring role on another NBC program, “Profiler,” before breaking out as Cole Turner on “Charmed.” He starred in three seasons of the supernatural teen drama.

McMahon’s first major leading role in television was on Ryan Murphy’s campy plastic surgery series “Nip/Tuck,” which ran for six seasons on FX. He starred as Dr. Christian Troy, a womanizing and arrogant surgeon, who worked with Dylan Walsh’s more milquetoast Dr. Sean McNamara. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for the role in 2005.

Years after the FX series, McMahon’s next major TV role was on “FBI: Most Wanted,” where he played Jesse LaCroix, a supervisory special agent who mentored younger members of his team. He joined the series in 2020 and starred in 43 episodes before exiting in 2022.

McMahon’s other TV credits include “Full Circle,” “Hunters,” “Runaways” and “The Residence.”

McMahon’s best-known film role was playing the villainous Doctor Doom in Tim Story’s 2005 “Fantastic Four” and its 2007 sequel “Rise of the Silver Surfer.” His other film credits include “Red,” “Faces in the Crowd,” “Paranoia,” “Swinging Safari,” “Monster Party,” “The Surfer” and “The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat.”

McMahon, born in Sydney, Australia on July 27, 1968, was the son of Billy McMahon, the Australian Prime Minister from 1971 to 1972.