Julian McMahon

Last updated

Julian McMahon
Julian McMahon Dec 2011 (cropped).jpg
McMahon in 2011
Born
Julian Dana William McMahon

(1968-07-27) 27 July 1968 (age 56)
Sydney, Australia
Citizenship
  • Australia
  • United States [1]
Education Sydney Grammar School
Alma mater University 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
Relatives See 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.

Contents

Early life

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

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 .[ citation needed ]

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 8 March 2022. [14]

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

Personal life

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

Film

YearTitleRoleDirectorNotes
1992 Wet and Wild Summer! Mick Dooley Maurice Murphy Film debut
Also known as Exchange Lifeguards
1996 Magenta Michael WalshGregory C. Haynes
1998In Quiet NightHayes Jenny Bowen
2000 Chasing Sleep George Michael Walker
2004 Meet Market HutchCharlie LoventhalAlso executive producer
2005 Fantastic Four Victor Von Doom / Dr. Doom Tim Story
2007 Premonition Jim Hanson Mennan Yapo
PrisonerDerek 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 DawsonChris von Hoffmann
2024 The Surfer ScallyLorcan Finnegan
The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat Chick Carlson Tina Mabry Post-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989 The Power, The Passion Kane Edmons
1990–1991 Home and Away Ben LuciniMain role
1992 G.P. Constable Colin CarmodyEpisode: "Beat It"
1993 Another World Ian RainMain cast
1996–2000 Profiler Detective John GrantMain role
1998 Will & Grace Guy in ElevatorEpisode: "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 DavidTelevision film
2003–2010 Nip/Tuck Christian Troy Main role
2008 Robot Chicken Doctor Doom, NewscasterVoice, episode: "Monstourage"
2012RogueKevin LearTelevision film
2013 Full Circle Stanley Murphy3 episodes
2015 Childhood's End Rupert BoyceTelevision miniseries
Episode: "The Deceivers"
2016 Hunters McCarthy6 episodes
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency Zackariah Webb3 episodes
2017–2018 Runaways Jonah / MagistrateMain role (season 2); recurring (season 1)
2019–2021 FBI Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix3 episodes
2020–2022 FBI: Most Wanted Lead role
2021 FBI: International 2 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 Fantastic Four Victor Von Doom / Dr. Doom Voice role

Awards and nominations

Film
YearNominated workAwardResult
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

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kylie Minogue</span> Australian singer and actress (born 1968)

Kylie Ann Minogue is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fashion world as a major style icon. Her accolades include two Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards and eighteen ARIA Music Awards. Minogue is the highest-selling Australian female artist of all time, with sales surpassing 80 million records worldwide. In 2024, Time named her one of the most influential people in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dannii Minogue</span> Australian singer and actress (born 1971)

DanniiMinogue is an Australian singer, television personality, and actress. She first gained recognition for her appearances on the television talent show Young Talent Time (1982–1988) and for her role as Emma Jackson on the soap opera Home and Away (1989–1990). Minogue began her music career in the early 1990s, achieving early success with her debut studio album, Love and Kisses (1991), which was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and included the singles "Love and Kisses", "Jump to the Beat" and "Success". Following the release of her second studio album, Get into You (1993), Minogue's popularity as a singer had declined, leading her to make a name for herself with award-winning performances in theatre productions.

<i>Nip/Tuck</i> 2003 American medical drama television series

Nip/Tuck is an American medical drama television series created by Ryan Murphy that aired on FX in the United States for six seasons from 2003 to 2010. The series, which also incorporates elements of crime, black comedy, family drama, satire, and psychological thriller, focuses on "McNamara/Troy", a cutting-edge, controversial plastic surgery center, and follows the personal and professional lives of its founders Dr. Sean McNamara and Dr. Christian Troy. Each episode features graphic, partial depictions of the plastic surgeries on one or more patients, as well as developments in the doctors' personal lives. Focus is also given to McNamara/Troy's anesthesiologist Dr. Liz Cruz, Christian's many sexual partners, and Sean's family. With the exception of the pilot, each episode of the series is named after one of the patients scheduled to receive plastic surgery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Donovan</span> Australian actor and singer

Jason Sean Donovan is an Australian actor and singer. He initially achieved fame in the Australian soap Neighbours, playing Scott Robinson, before beginning a career in music in 1988. In the UK he has sold over 3 million records. His debut album Ten Good Reasons was the highest-selling album in the UK in 1989, with sales of over 1.5 million. He has had Four UK No. 1 singles. He has also appeared in several stage musicals, most prominently in the lead role of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the early 1990s.

<i>Neon Nights</i> 2003 studio album by Dannii Minogue

Neon Nights is the fourth studio album by Australian singer Dannii Minogue. It was released through London Records on 17 March 2003. Spurred by her success with the 2001 single "Who Do You Love Now?", Minogue signed a new record contract and began working on her first album in six years with the likes of Ian Masterson, Korpi & Blackcell, Neïmo and Terry Ronald.

<i>Girl</i> (Dannii Minogue album) 1997 studio album by Dannii Minogue

Girl is the third studio album by Australian singer Dannii Minogue. It was released by Eternal Records on 8 September 1997 in the United Kingdom. Four singles were released to promote the album including the UK Dance Chart number ones "All I Wanna Do", "Everything I Wanted", "Disremembrance" and the Australian-only single, "Coconut". In November 2007, the album was reissued featuring slightly different artwork and a bonus disc of remixes by Rhino Entertainment. In 2022, to celebrate its twenty-fifth anniversary, Minogue announced an LP release on coloured, recycled vinyl through Warner Music Australia.

Scott Robinson (<i>Neighbours</i>) Fictional character from the soap opera Neighbours

Scott Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours. He was created by Reg Watson as one of the serial's twelve original characters. Originally played by Darius Perkins, he made his debut during the first episode broadcast on 18 March 1985. Perkins was 20 years old when he received the role of teenager Scott. He felt some anxiety about his audition performance and did not think anything was going to come from it, until the production company contacted him a month later to sign on as Scott. When production moved to Network Ten in 1986, producers wanted "a more upfront" Scott and the role was recast to Jason Donovan, who joined the cast following his graduation from school. He made his debut on 12 February 1986, and producers hoped Donovan's blond hair and blue eyes would increase the character's appeal. Perkins later said that he had been physically and mentally exhausted after filming for nine months, and felt unable to continue in the role of Scott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlene Robinson</span> Fictional character from the soap opera Neighbours

Charlene Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Kylie Minogue. Charlene was introduced to the show along with several new characters, as part of a revamp by Network Ten to increase ratings. Minogue auditioned for the role in 1985, shortly after finishing her high school exams. She attended the audition dressed as the character and casting director Jan Russ cast her in the role. Minogue was initially contracted for a week, but this was later extended through to mid-1988. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 April 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is It (Melba Moore song)</span> 1976 single by Melba Moore

"This Is It" is a 1976 disco song written by Van McCoy, and performed by American singer and actress Melba Moore for her fifth album of the same name (1976).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is the Way (Dannii Minogue song)</span> 1993 single by Dannii Minogue

"This Is the Way" is a dance-pop song written by Eliot Kennedy, Cary Baylis and Michael Ward for Australian singer Dannii Minogue's second album, Get into You (1993). The song, produced by Kennedy and Ward, was released in September 1993 by Mushroom and MCA as the album's fourth single. It peaked at number 27 on the UK Singles Chart and number 45 in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carly Morris</span> Soap opera character

Carly Lucini is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by actress Sharyn Hodgson. She was one of the soap's original female protagonists, appearing as one of the Fletchers' foster children in the pilot episode on 17 January 1988. The soap's primary focus was placed upon the Fletchers and their gang of foster children, moving as outsiders to a caravan park in the seaside town of Summer Bay. Carly remained in the serial as a regular character until 1991, covering issues such as rape, alcoholism and child abuse, as well as a problematic marriage to soldier Ben Lucini, played by actor Julian McMahon. Hodgson has made numerous guest appearances since her exit.

<i>White Diamond: A Personal Portrait of Kylie Minogue</i> 2007 documentary film

White Diamond: A Personal Portrait of Kylie Minogue is a 2007 documentary film directed and produced by William Baker and chronicling the life of Australian singer Kylie Minogue during her concert tour Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour. It was filmed between August 2006 and March 2007 in both Australia and the United Kingdom.

Emma Jackson (<i>Home and Away</i>) Character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away

Emma Jackson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Dannii Minogue. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 22 September 1989. She departed on 22 August 1990. Emma was described as a teen punk and a tomboy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Lucini</span> Soap opera character

Benito "Ben" Lucini is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Julian McMahon. The character made his first screen appearance on 27 February 1990. McMahon wanted to appear in another prime-time soap opera having previously appeared in The Power, The Passion and had to audition for the role of Ben four times. Ben was introduced as a new love interest of established character Carly Morris. The show's producer, Andrew Howie, had already planned their wedding before Ben had debuted on-screen.

Grant Mitchell (<i>Home and Away</i>) Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away

Grant Mitchell is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Craig McLachlan. Grant debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 9 February 1990. McLachlan had previously appeared on rival soap opera Neighbours playing Henry Ramsay. When his contract was due to be renewed, the Seven Network offered him a more flexible contract to appear in Home and Away, which McLachlan signed. Grant arrives in Summer Bay as a new teacher starting work at the local school. Grant is described as a likeable teacher with a good rapport with his pupils. His unorthodox teaching methods land him with the nickname "Cool Mitch".

<i>My Story</i> (Minogue book) 2010 book by Dannii Minogue

My Story is a memoir by Australian singer Dannii Minogue. Written in the United Kingdom and Australia with the help of long-time friend Terry Ronald, the book was released in September 2010 in the UK and in October 2010 in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">100 Degrees</span> 2015 single by Kylie Minogue and Dannii Minogue

"100 Degrees" is a song recorded by Australian singer-songwriter Kylie Minogue, with her sister Dannii Minogue. The track was the second single from Kylie's album Kylie Christmas (2015). It was released on 7 December 2015 by Parlophone and Warner Bros. Records. A disco-influenced Christmas song, the track was written by Kylie, Ash Howes, Richard Stannard and Steve Anderson, with Howes, Stannard and Anderson handling production. An alternate version of the song was later released on 1 April 2016, "100 Degrees ", omitting all references to Christmas in its lyrics.

<i>Swinging Safari</i> (film) 2018 Australian film

Swinging Safari is a 2018 Australian comedy-drama film starring Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue, Radha Mitchell, Julian McMahon, Asher Keddie, and Jeremy Sims. It was written and directed by Stephan Elliott, most famous for his work on the film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, released in 1994. Swinging Safari was released in Australia on 18 January 2018, with international territories following later in the year.

<i>Neighbours</i>: The Finale Episode of Neighbours

"Neighbours: The Finale" comprises the 8901st, 8902nd and 8903rd episodes of the Australian television soap opera Neighbours. It premiered on 28 July 2022 on both Network 10 and 10 Peach in Australia, and on 29 July on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom. It was conceived as the end of the serial, after it was cancelled due to the loss of its UK broadcaster and failure to find an alternative buyer, and production ceased after it was filmed. The episodes were written by Shane Isheev and executive producer Jason Herbison, and directed by Scott Major. Production on Neighbours ended on 10 June. Production and cast had known the show was facing cancellation since 2021 and ideas for a suitable finale were already being planned at that point. In response to the news of the show's potential cancellation becoming public in early 2022, an online petition amassed more than 67,000 signatures to save the show. The petition did not change Channel 5's decision, who maintained that Neighbours remained popular and ending the show was solely a "business decision". Production were then tasked with bringing the show to an end within a few months. Herbison had already envisioned an ideal way to end the series, and Isheev and other writers supported his plans. Herbison did not wish to end the show with excessive finality, such as in the destruction of the primary location of Ramsay Street, and opted for a celebratory theme that acknowledged the show's history.

References

  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. 1 2 "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. 1 2 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. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 3 4 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. 1 2 3 4 "'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".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.