Julian McMahon’s family have thanked fans for their support following the
The actor was best known for playing plastic surgeon Dr Christian Troy on Nip/Tuck from 2004 to 2010. He also starred as Cole Turner in the series Charmed and as Doctor Doom in the 2005 Fantastic Four film.
McMahon’s wife Kelly Paniagua announced that he had died on Wednesday (2 July) after a “valiant effort to overcome cancer”. He had kept his diagnosis private.
Following the statement, a post thanking his fans for their “love” was shared to McMahon’s Instagram page, soundtracked by Van Morrison’s 1997 song “Sometimes We Cry”.
“Julian loved Van Morrison... For all of those who loved Julian, thank you,” the caption read, alongside a black and white photograph of the actor.
Paniagua told Deadline earlier this week: “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 was the only son of Sir William McMahon, former prime minister of Australia.
He joined the cast of the fantasy drama Charmed as in 2000 and later received acclaim for his performance as Dr Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck, Ryan Murphy’s darkly comic drama about a plastic surgery clinic. McMahon earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Television Drama in 2005.
He also played Doctor Doom in the 2005 Fantastic Four movie and its 2007 sequel. More recently, he starred in FBI: Most Wanted from 2020 to 2022.
McMahon continued working up until his death, giving his final performance in Netflix’s 2025 mystery series The Residence, in which he played a fictional Australian prime minister.
Ioan Gruffudd, who worked with McMahon on the Fantastic Four movies, wrote in an Instagram tribute: “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.
“It was an honour to be Dr Richards to his Dr Doom. My heart goes out to his wife and family. God speed Julian.”
McMahon is survived by his 25-year-old daughter Madison, who he shared with second wife, actor and TV star Brooke Burns.
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