Julian McMahon Movies and TV Shows: Full Career List

Julian McMahon could have coasted on his famous surname—his father, William McMahon, was Australia’s former Prime Minister. Instead, he spent nearly four decades building a career that took him from Australian soaps to Hollywood villainy, accumulating roles in cult-favorite shows like Charmed and Nip/Tuck along the way. When the actor died on July 2, 2025, after a private battle with cancer, co-stars Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan shared memories that revealed a man who could play a convincing demon onscreen while remaining a beloved friend offscreen.

Lifespan: 1968-2025 · Breakout Role: Ben Lucini in Home and Away · Signature TV Roles: Cole Turner (Charmed), Christian Troy (Nip/Tuck) · Recent Series: FBI: Most Wanted (Jess LaCroix) · Ex-Spouse: Dannii Minogue

Key biographical data

The following table consolidates core facts about McMahon’s career and personal history.

When did Julian McMahon stop acting?

McMahon remained active through his final years, though his television presence slowed considerably after FBI: Most Wanted ended its run. The last projects he completed before his death included Netflix’s The Residence and The Surfer (2024), which marked one of his most acclaimed performances.

Early Australian Beginnings

Julian McMahon launched his acting career in Australian television, beginning with appearances in The Power, the Passion (1989) before landing the role that would establish him locally: Ben Lucini in Home and Away from 1991 to 1994. (Rotten Tomatoes) This soap opera stint provided the foundation for what would become a remarkably diverse career spanning multiple continents and genres.

After Home and Away, McMahon crossed the Pacific to join NBC’s daytime soap Another World, playing Ian Rain from 1992 to 1994. (Rotten Tomatoes) The transition from Australian television to American soaps proved seamless, and his ability to portray complex characters in serialized formats would serve him well in later primetime roles.

US Network Breakthroughs

The mid-1990s marked McMahon’s transition into American primetime television. Detective John Grant on NBC’s Profiler (1996-2000) gave him his first major network role in the United States. (Rotten Tomatoes) The crime procedural required him to portray law enforcement authority with the psychological complexity that would become his signature approach to roles.

His career trajectory shifted dramatically with two back-to-back roles that defined his public persona: Cole Turner in Charmed (2000-2003) and Dr. Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck (2003-2010). (Wikipedia) As Cole Turner—a human-demon hybrid and love interest to Alyssa Milano’s character—McMahon demonstrated his capacity for supernatural material, while Dr. Christian Troy allowed him to explore the world of elective plastic surgery with remarkable depth.

Nip/Tuck proved transformative for McMahon’s career trajectory. He received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Television Drama Series for his performance as the greed-driven, sex-addicted plastic surgeon. (Wikipedia) The role showcased his ability to play deeply flawed characters who remained compelling despite—or perhaps because of—their moral compromises.

Later Primetime Roles

Following Nip/Tuck’s conclusion in 2010, McMahon continued working regularly but without recapturing the cultural prominence of his Charmed and Nip/Tuck years. He played Jonah in the Marvel series Runaways, appeared as Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), and later took on the role of FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix on CBS’ FBI: Most Wanted from 2020 through 2022. (TVLine)

His final completed projects included Netflix’s The Residence opposite Uzo Aduba and The Surfer (2024), which earned him an AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. (Wikipedia) Notably, McMahon appeared noticeably thinner at The Surfer’s SXSW premiere alongside Nicolas Cage—months before his death became public. (YouTube)

Did Julian McMahon and Alyssa Milano get along on Charmed?

The chemistry between Julian McMahon’s Cole Turner and Alyssa Milano’s Phoebe Halliwell transcended the screen. McMahon played the human-demon hybrid from 2000 to 2003, and the character arc as a reformed villain-turned-hero gave both actors substantial material to work with during their shared seasons. (Wikipedia)

Co-star Dynamics

When McMahon died in July 2025, Alyssa Milano honored him on Instagram as “more than my TV husband” and “a dear friend,” a sentiment that spoke to the genuine bond formed during their years working together. (TVLine) The public acknowledgment from Milano revealed what the closed sets of Charmed had concealed: McMahon had built lasting relationships within the industry rather than merely accumulating professional credits.

Rose McGowan, another Charmed co-star, remembered McMahon as “a force of brilliance, wild talent and humour.” (TVLine) This tribute from another cast member reinforces that McMahon’s likeability extended beyond his TV wife into the broader ensemble, suggesting he possessed the interpersonal skills that allow actors to thrive across multiple collaborative projects.

How did Alyssa Milano react to Julian McMahon’s death?

Alyssa Milano’s Instagram tribute following McMahon’s death on July 2, 2025, offered fans their first public glimpse into the genuine affection co-stars held for the actor. (TVLine) Her decision to share memories publicly, despite the family’s request for privacy around his cancer battle, indicated the depth of feeling McMahon had generated among his Charmed colleagues.

Milano’s characterization of McMahon as “more than my TV husband” served multiple purposes: it honored their onscreen partnership while emphasizing the genuine personal connection that had persisted years after the show ended. The tribute demonstrated how McMahon’s off-screen personality had created lasting impressions that survived the typical post-production fade of television relationships.

Alyssa Milano remembered Julian McMahon on Instagram as “more than my TV husband” and “a dear friend” following his death on July 2, 2025. (TVLine)

The outpouring from other co-stars—including Dylan Walsh, who stated “We rode this wave together and I loved him” in reference to their Nip/Tuck partnership—indicated that McMahon’s capacity for meaningful professional relationships extended beyond Charmed. (TVLine) Kelly Carlson, who played McMahon’s TV wife in Nip/Tuck, eulogized him in a video tribute that highlighted “the energy, the charisma, the humor, the looks” he brought to their collaboration. (TVLine)

What did Julian McMahon pass away from?

Julian McMahon died on July 2, 2025, following a private battle with cancer. (Wikipedia) The family requested privacy regarding the specific diagnosis and treatment timeline, leaving fans and media to piece together the circumstances of his final months without official confirmation.

Health Context

The family’s silence about the precise nature of McMahon’s cancer meant that specifics about his diagnosis and treatment remain unclear. What is known stems from observations during his final public appearances: McMahon appeared noticeably thinner at The Surfer’s SXSW premiere alongside Nicolas Cage, a visual indicator that he was managing health challenges. (YouTube)

His decision to complete The Residence and The Surfer while battling cancer suggests McMahon maintained his commitment to acting through his illness. The Surfer (2024) received an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, representing his highest-rated film performance—proof that his craft remained sharp despite the physical toll of treatment. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Career Final Years

McMahon’s final completed projects suggest he was selective about roles in his later career. The Residence brought him together with Uzo Aduba for Netflix, while The Surfer paired him with Nicolas Cage for a psychological thriller that earned critical acclaim. (TVLine)

The AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film for 2026 (posthumously awarded for The Surfer) provided posthumous recognition for a performance critics had already noted as among his finest. (Wikipedia) This late-career recognition offered a poignant bookend to his early acclaim through Nip/Tuck—suggesting McMahon had found a productive second wind in his final years.

Who is Dannii Minogue’s ex-husband?

Julian McMahon was married to Dannii Minogue from 1994 to 1995, a brief marriage that occurred during the period when McMahon was establishing himself in Australian entertainment. (Wikipedia) The relationship intersected with Minogue’s own rising fame as a pop singer and television personality in Australia.

Marriage Timeline

The McMahon-Minogue marriage lasted approximately thirteen months before their separation. Both were in their mid-twenties at the time—McMahon had just completed his Home and Away run while Minogue was transitioning from her early music career toward broader entertainment work. The brevity of the marriage and the subsequent success both achieved in separate directions has led to speculation about how the relationship influenced their individual trajectories.

Impact on Early Career

For McMahon, the marriage to Minogue came during his Home and Away years, before his international breakthrough. While his later career would be defined by American television success, the Minogue connection ensured ongoing media attention in Australia—where his soap opera roots were celebrated even as he pursued Hollywood opportunities.

The irony of McMahon’s later romantic roles—as the charismatic but morally compromised Dr. Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck and the supernatural villain-turned-hero Cole Turner in Charmed—contrasts sharply with his brief, private marriage. Perhaps the distance between his fictional romantic entanglements and his actual relationship history contributed to the depth he brought to both characters.

Related reading: Best Movies 2025

Beyond English-language lists, a Swedish overview of his career offers fresh insights into Julian McMahon’s standout roles in Nip/Tuck and post-2025 highlights.

Frequently asked questions