Julian McMahon, an Australian–American actor best known for his role as Doctor Doom in the Fantastic Four duology, has died at the age of 56.
Julian McMahon dies: What’s the cause of death?
According to reports, he passed away on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 in Clearwater, Florida, after a long battle with cancer.
McMahon had resided in the United States since the 1990s, but often expressed his deep connection to Australia.
In past interviews, he referred to himself as “Australian on the inside and American on the outside,” and shared his fondness for his upbringing and heritage.
Julian McMahon biography
Julian Dana William McMahon was born on 27 July 1968 in Sydney, Australia. He was the son of Sir William McMahon, who served as Prime Minister of Australia from 1971 to 1972, and Lady Sonia McMahon, a prominent fashion figure.
McMahon grew up in a politically connected household with two sisters and received his education at Sydney Grammar School.
Initially pursuing studies in law and economics at the University of Sydney and the University of Wollongong, McMahon lost interest in academics and began a modelling career.
His work took him to international cities like Milan, Paris, and New York, eventually leading to television commercials in Australia that kickstarted his acting career.
His first significant acting role was as Ben Lucini in the Australian soap Home and Away. He transitioned to the US entertainment industry in the 1990s, gaining recognition through roles such as Detective John Grant in Profiler, Cole Turner in Charmed, and most notably, Dr Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck. His performance in Nip/Tuck earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
McMahon also starred in several films, including Premonition alongside Sandra Bullock and the Fantastic Four series, where he portrayed the iconic villain Doctor Doom.
From 2020 to 2022, he played Jess LaCroix in FBI: Most Wanted, a role he took on enthusiastically, describing the script as an “aha moment” in his career.
His personal life included marriages to singer Dannii Minogue, actress Brooke Burns—with whom he had a daughter—and later Kelly Paniagua, whom he married in 2014.
Reactions to McMahon’s death
News of Julian McMahon’s death has drawn sorrow from fans and industry peers.
Here are some of the reactions we picked:
