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Julian McMahon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Australian lawyer, see Julian McMahon (barrister).

Julian McMahon
McMahon in 2011
Born
Julian Dana William McMahon

(1968-07-27) 27 July 1968 (age 56)
Sydney, Australia
Citizenship
  • Australia
  • United States[1]
EducationSydney Grammar School
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
University of Wollongong
OccupationActor
Years active1989–present
Known for
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 1995)​
​
​
(m. 1999; div. 2001)​
Kelly Paniagua
​
(m. 2014)​
Children1
Parents
RelativesSee McMahon family

Julian Dana William McMahon (born 27 July 1968) is an Australian actor. He is the only son of Sir William McMahon, a former Prime Minister of Australia. He is best known for his roles as Ben Lucini in Home and Away, Detective John Grant in Profiler, Cole Turner in Charmed, Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck, Doctor Doom in the Fantastic Four duology, Jonah in Runaways, and Jess LaCroix in CBS crime drama FBI: Most Wanted. For his performance in Nip/Tuck, McMahon was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Drama Series.

Early life

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McMahon was born in Sydney, the son of Sir William McMahon, a prominent Australian politician, and Lady McMahon (née Sonia Hopkins), an heiress, socialite and fashion icon. His father was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives and a high-ranking minister in the 24-year Liberal Government for many years before Julian's birth; he became the 20th Prime Minister of Australia in March 1971, when Julian was two years old. His mother left their three children in the care of a nanny to be with her husband in Canberra during his Prime Ministership. He has an older sister, Melinda, and a younger sister, Deborah. He is of Irish descent through his father.[2][3]

In an interview with the Herald Sun in 2018, McMahon discussed his childhood: "My Dad... was born in 1908. That’s a very different time to what it was when he was raising me. He must have gone through a strange misunderstanding of how you were parented in 1908 versus how you parent in 1972; it would have been so conflicting. Also how you be a husband in that period of time would have been different."

McMahon was educated at the private, boys-only, Sydney Grammar School,[4] which his father had attended. As a child he dreamed of being an army cadet and playing rugby.[5] McMahon briefly studied law at the University of Sydney[6] and economics at the University of Wollongong.[7] McMahon found no interest in his studies, and began a modelling career. He became known as a model in various fashion capitals, such as Milan, London, New York City, Rome, and Paris.

McMahon was working in Europe when his father died, and returned to Australia for the funeral.[8] While home, he filmed some Levi's commercials which helped him land a role on the iconic Australian soap opera Home & Away.[8]

Career

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McMahon won recognition for his roles in television dramas, in portrayals of Ben Lucini in the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1989–1991), Detective John Grant in the American crime drama Profiler (1996–2000), Cole Turner in the American supernatural drama Charmed (2000–2003), and Christian Troy in the American medical drama Nip/Tuck (2003–2010). He also appeared in films with leading and supporting roles, such as Chasing Sleep (2000) alongside Jeff Daniels, Doctor Doom in the Fantastic Four franchise (2005 and 2007), Premonition (2007) starring alongside Sandra Bullock, Red (2010) alongside Bruce Willis, Faces in the Crowd (2011) alongside Milla Jovovich[9], and Bait (2012) alongside Dan Wyllie and Xavier Samuel.

In the early 1990s, McMahon struggled to obtain a work permit for the United States and as a result he missed out on a few roles.[10] McMahon's big break Hollywood role was on the soap opera Another World when he was cast as Ian Rain in 1993.[11] The first scene he shot in New York for the show had him emerge from a pool in a speedo at the Cory Mansion.[10] He remembers the experience as "pretty magical".[10]

McMahon's work in television, particularly with Nip/Tuck and Charmed garnered him more success. The former series won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. McMahon played the lead role in Nip/Tuck, alongside Dylan Walsh throughout the entire series' run. He also played Jonah on Marvel's Runaways.

In 2018, McMahon returned to Australia to film Swinging Safari in Queensland, alongside Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Asher Keddie, and Jeremy Sims.[12] The film is set in the 1970s and sees McMahon sport a handlebar moustache.[12] McMahon and his ex-sister-in-law Kylie Minogue share an improvised kiss in a scene where couples partner swap.[12] He stated that he found it difficult speaking with an Australian accent in the film because the majority of his career he has adapted to performing with an American accent.[12]

From 2020 to 2022, McMahon starred as Jess LaCroix in the CBS crime drama FBI: Most Wanted. He stated that when he received the script for the series from CBS, he had an "aha moment" and knew he had to play the character.[13] He also made guest appearances in parent series FBI and in spin-off FBI: International. McMahon departed the series mid-way through the third season; his final episode, "Shattered", aired March 8, 2022.[14]

Most of McMahon's roles have been villains or damaged characters which he says he feels attracted to.[15][16]

Personal life

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McMahon jokingly noted in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel that his mother [was] "a very scary lady" because she would visit him on the set of his films and critique his performance when he finished a scene.[17]

In 1994, McMahon married singer Dannii Minogue after meeting on the set of Home and Away in 1991.[18] He starred in her music video clip for the single "This Is It", a song that summed up the couple's relationship and hopes for the future.[19] The newlyweds spent a great deal of their marriage apart, due to McMahon pursuing his career in Los Angeles and Minogue in England. They divorced after 18 months with Minogue stating that her negative relationship with McMahon's mother, Sonia, Lady McMahon, being an issue from the beginning.[18]

In 1999, McMahon married Baywatch star Brooke Burns and had a daughter[20] in June of 2000 before the couple divorced in 2001.[18] McMahon married for the third time in 2014 to Kelly Paniagua.[18]

McMahon has resided in the United States since the 1990s, but says his soul is still Australian: "I feel like I'm Australian on the inside and American on the outside or something. I would never want to leave it behind either. I love Australians, Australianisms, I love my part of being Australian. I love where I grew up and how I grew up and, you know, I wouldn't change it for the world."[5]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Director Notes
1992 Wet and Wild Summer! Mick Dooley Maurice Murphy Film debut
Also known as Exchange Lifeguards
1996 Magenta Michael Walsh Gregory C. Haynes
1998 In Quiet Night Hayes Jenny Bowen
2000 Chasing Sleep George Michael Walker
2004 Meet Market Hutch Charlie Loventhal Also executive producer
2005 Fantastic Four Victor Von Doom / Dr. Doom Tim Story
2007 Premonition Jim Hanson Mennan Yapo
Prisoner Derek Plato David Alford, Robert Archer Lynn
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Victor Von Doom / Dr. Doom Tim Story
2010 RED Robert Stanton Robert Schwentke
2011 Faces in the Crowd Sam Kerrest Julie Magnat
2012 Bait 3D Doyle Kimble Rendall
Fire with Fire Robert David Barrett
2013 Paranoia Miles Meechum Robert Luketic
2014 You're Not You Liam George C. Wolfe
2018 Swinging Safari Rick Jones Stephan Elliott
Monster Party Patrick Dawson Chris von Hoffmann
2024 The Surfer Scally Lorcan Finnegan
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat Chick Carlson Tina Mabry Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 The Power, The Passion Kane Edmons
1990–1991 Home and Away Ben Lucini Main role
1992 G.P. Constable Colin Carmody Episode: "Beat It"
1993 Another World Ian Rain Main cast
1996–2000 Profiler Detective John Grant Main role
1998 Will & Grace Guy in Elevator Episode: "Where There's a Will, There's No Way"
2000–2003, 2005 Charmed Cole Turner Main role (seasons 3–5); guest (season 7)
2001 Another Day David Television film
2003–2010 Nip/Tuck Christian Troy Main role
2008 Robot Chicken Doctor Doom, Newscaster Voice, episode: "Monstourage"
2012 Rogue Kevin Lear Television film
2013 Full Circle Stanley Murphy 3 episodes
2015 Childhood's End Rupert Boyce Television miniseries
Episode: "The Deceivers"
2016 Hunters McCarthy 6 episodes
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency Zackariah Webb 3 episodes
2017–2018 Runaways Jonah / Magistrate Main role (season 2); recurring (season 1)
2019–2021 FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix 3 episodes
2020–2022 FBI: Most Wanted Lead role
2021 FBI: International 2 episodes

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2005 Fantastic Four Victor Von Doom / Dr. Doom Voice role

Awards and nominations

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Film
Year Nominated work Award Result
2003 Nip/Tuck Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama Nominated
2004 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama Nominated
2005 Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television Nominated
2006 Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television Nominated
2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain Nominated
Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Rumble (with Chris Evans) Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Brookfield, Joanne (22 February 2017). "How to survive in Hollywood – tips from successful Australians". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  2. ^ "Julian McMahon Interview". Popsyndicate.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  3. ^ "Julian McMahon". IMDb. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Famous Sydney Grammar School Alumni". Ranker. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Julian McMahon Premonition & Fantastic Four 2 Interview". www.female.com.au. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Julian McMahon". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  7. ^ Books, Hephaestus (27 August 2011). Articles On University Of Wollongong Alumni, including: Julian Mcmahon, Karl Kruszelnicki, John Tranter, Bill Neskovski, Wendy Richardson, Estelle ... (activist), Mark Cutifani, Harry Goodhew. ASIN 1242848797.
  8. ^ a b Bryant, Jacob (6 May 2016). "'Hunters' Star Julian McMahon Recalls How Levi's Commercial Led to First Series Role in Australia". Variety. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Victor von Doom and 'Nip/Tuck' Star Joins 'Faces in the Crowd'". Bloody Disgusting. The Collective. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  10. ^ a b c Gidlow, Steve. "Julian McMahon on Why CBS' "FBI: Most Wanted" Was the Right Move". Media Village. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Catching Up With FBI: MOST WANTED Star Julian McMahon (ex-Ian, ANOTHER WORLD)". Soap Opera Digest. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d readJanuary 16, Neala JohnsonNational Film Writer3 min; 2018 – 5:14 pm (16 January 2018). "Why Julian kissed Kylie". Herald Sun. Retrieved 30 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Trapunski, Charles (6 May 2020). "Interview: FBI: Most Wanted's Julian McMahon". Brief Take. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  14. ^ Cordero, Rosy (7 March 2022). "'FBI: Most Wanted' Boss Teases Julian McMahon's 'Bittersweet' Departure". Deadline. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  15. ^ "Runaways: Interview: Julian McMahon". Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!. 2 January 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Julian McMahon Interview: Monster Party". ScreenRant. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  17. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. 2 April 2010.; accessed 23 September 2015.
  18. ^ a b c d "'I wasn't allowed near her.' For 18 months, Dannii Minogue had a MIL who wouldn't speak to her". Mamamia. 1 October 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  19. ^ "Julian McMahon : Dannii Minogue : This Is It". YouTube. 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Madison McMahon – Women's Volleyball – Wake Forest University Athletics".
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