Julian McMahon, an esteemed actor renowned for his portrayal of the promiscuous and charismatic plastic surgeon, Dr. Christian Troy, in the hit television series "Nip/Tuck," as well as the egotistical and sinister scientist, Dr. Victor Von Doom, in two installments of the "Fantastic Four" film franchise, passed away on Wednesday in Florida. He was 56 years old. Cancer claimed his life, as confirmed by his wife, Kelly McMahon, in an emotional statement.
McMahon's journey in acting began in the early 1990s with Australian soap operas, and he tasted success in the United States with his role in the NBC soap opera "Another World" in 1993. His transition to prime-time television saw him achieve breakthrough success as Cole Turner, a half-human, half-demon, in three seasons of the WB supernatural series "Charmed."
McMahon solidified his status as a leading man with his role in the FX series "Nip/Tuck," which premiered in 2003. His depiction of Dr. Christian Troy, a self-destructive playboy, stood in stark contrast to his strait-laced best friend, Dr. Sean McNamara, portrayed by Dylan Walsh. Together, they ran a plastic surgery practice, first in Miami and later in Los Angeles, often clashing over the moral implications of their profession.
McMahon's arrogant and confident portrayal allowed him to deliver iconic lines that resonated with fans, such as, "She's a troublemaker and her shoes are cheap," which became fan favorites.
In 2005, McMahon transformed from a sex-addicted surgeon to the maniacal Dr. Doom in the first of two "Fantastic Four" films, "Fantastic Four" (2005) and its sequel, "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (2007). As Dr. Doom, a megalomaniacal villainous tycoon from the Marvel comic book series created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961, he donned a menacing silver mask to conceal his scarred visage.
Born on July 27, 1968, in Sydney, Australia, McMahon was one of three children. His father, William McMahon, served as the prime minister of Australia from 1971-72, while his mother, Lady Sonia McMahon, was a prominent socialite and philanthropist.
McMahon is survived by his wife and their daughter, Madison. He was previously married to American model and game show host Brooke Burns from 1999 to 2001. He was also married to Australian singer Dannii Minogue from 1994 to 1995.
Embracing his father's legacy, McMahon portrayed the prime minister of Australia in the Netflix comedy murder mystery "The Residence," which premiered in March. He also recently starred alongside Nicolas Cage in the psychological thriller "The Surfer." In one of his final public appearances, he promoted the film at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, earlier this year.
Throughout his career, McMahon returned to Australia multiple times to star in films there. One notable project was the 2012 horror movie "Bait," which centered around a group of shoppers hunted by 12-foot great white sharks after being trapped in a grocery store flooded by a tsunami.
From 2020 to 2022, McMahon played team leader Jess LaCroix in the CBS series "FBI: Most Wanted." Although he made a surprise exit from the show in March 2022, he paid tribute to the special agent on Instagram, stating that he and the character "did some good work, some might even say great, and we had some fun along the way."
