Heartbreaking new details have emerged about Nip/Tuck star Julian McMahon’s cause of death days after his shock passing aged 56, with a medical examiner’s report revealing he died from lung metastasis as a result of head and neck metastatic cancer.
The Australian actor’s death was announced on July 4 by his wife Kelly McMahon, who revealed he had died peacefully on July 2 in Clearwater, Florida, after secretly battling cancer. According to a Cremation Approval Summary Report from the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office obtained by People magazine, the manner of death was ruled as natural, and McMahon’s remains have since been cremated.
The beloved star, best known for his roles as Dr. Christian Troy in the FX series Nip/Tuck and Cole Turner in Charmed, had kept his health struggles entirely private, making his last public appearance alongside Nicolas Cage at SXSW in Austin, Texas, back in March.
Noticeably Thinner at Final Public Appearance
McMahon appeared noticeably thinner as he promoted psychological thriller The Surfer at the festival on March 10, walking the red carpet with Cage for what would be his final public outing. The film, which premiered at Cannes in May 2024, featured McMahon as the antagonist Scally opposite Cage’s titular character.
Nicolas Cage, who spent six weeks working with McMahon on the film, released a statement calling the news “deeply saddening.” “I spent six weeks working with Julian, and he was the most talented of actors,” Cage said. “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.”
The Surfer director Lorcan Finnegan had praised McMahon’s performance at SXSW, with the actor playing what co-star Julian described as “a wonderfully dreadful alpha male influencer akin to Andrew Tate.”
Wife’s Emotional Tribute
Kelly McMahon, whom the actor married in 2014, shared an emotional tribute following his death. 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 in her statement.
“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,” Kelly continued.
She added: “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.”
Hollywood Mourns a Beloved Star
The talented actor was best known for his role as Dr. Christian Troy on the FX series Nip/Tuck, which ran for six seasons from 2003 to 2010. His portrayal of the charming but promiscuous plastic surgeon earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Television Series in 2004, though he was bested by Ian McShane for Deadwood.
Dylan Walsh, who portrayed Sean McNamara opposite McMahon in Nip/Tuck, expressed his shock at the news. “I’m stunned,” 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.”
Julian later starred as Jess LaCroix on the CBS series FBI: Most Wanted beginning in 2020 but made a surprise exit in March 2022 after three seasons, which may have been related to his then-undisclosed health issues.
From Australian Soap Star to Hollywood Success
McMahon first made his name on Australian television soap opera Home & Away, starring as Ben Lucini from 1990 to 1991. The Sydney native then transitioned to American television, appearing in crime drama Profiler from 1996 to 2000 as Detective John Grant.
His breakthrough role came when he joined the cast of supernatural drama Charmed in 2000, playing the complex demon-turned-human Cole Turner opposite Alyssa Milano’s Phoebe Halliwell. Milano paid an emotional tribute to her former co-star on Instagram, writing: “I’m heartbroken. Julian McMahon was magic. That smile. That laugh. That talent. That presence.”
She added: “He was more than my TV husband. He was a dear friend. The kind who checks in. The kind who remembers. The kind who shares. The kind who tells you the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable — but always with love.”
Marvel Villain and Family Legacy
The Sydney, Australia native also had success on the big screen, starring as iconic supervillain Dr. Doom in two Marvel movies: Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007). He also appeared alongside Sandra Bullock in 2007 supernatural psychological thriller Premonition.
Ioan Gruffudd, who played Mr. Fantastic opposite McMahon’s Dr. Doom, shared his own tribute: “This is terribly sad news about Julian. Even though we played each other’s nemeses, there was always so much lightness and laughter working together. Every encounter with him was a joy.”
Julian had notable ties to the Australian government as the only son of Sir William McMahon, who served as Prime Minister of Australia from 1971 to 1972. He reflected on his unique childhood in a 2018 interview with the Herald Sun, saying: “My Dad… was born in 1908. That’s a very different time to what it was when he was raising me.”
Three Marriages and Devoted Father
Julian was married three times throughout his life. He wed Australian singer and TV personality Dannii Minogue in 1994, though they divorced after just one year. His second marriage to model and Baywatch actress Brooke Burns lasted from 1999 to 2001, and together they share 25-year-old daughter Madison Elizabeth McMahon.
Burns shared a touching tribute featuring a photo of Julian with their daughter, while Kelly McMahon had been with the actor for 11 years before their 2014 wedding in a romantic ceremony in Lake Tahoe, on the edge of California and Nevada.
McMahon’s final role brought his career full circle, as he portrayed the Australian Prime Minister in Netflix murder mystery series The Residence — a fitting casting given his father’s political legacy.
Private Battle Kept Secret
While the specific type of cancer was never disclosed by his family, McMahon’s mother, Lady Sonia McMahon, had died in 2010 after being diagnosed with melanoma. The actor’s decision to keep his own health struggles private reflected his desire to maintain dignity during his illness.
Human rights lawyer Adam Jones told the Mirror that living life in the public eye comes with its downsides, noting: “It’s likely that he just wanted to maintain his right to privacy in the end.
McMahon is survived by his wife Kelly, daughter Madison, and stepdaughter Iliana. His ex-wife Brooke Burns shared a photo of Julian with their daughter in tribute, while his Charmed co-stars Holly Marie Combs and Rose McGowan also paid their respects.
Combs wrote: “Your unyielding zest for life and crazy making sense of humor will be sorely missed,” adding poignantly: “I hope you find our lady friend and dance in those rose petals,” referring to their late Charmed co-star Shannen Doherty, who died from cancer in 2024.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
