When one looks at someone from a distance and strictly gets to see their exterior it’s easy to make snap judgements about how idyllic their existence is, and how much we would just, if only for a day, trade places with them. I know that’s how I felt the first time I laid eyes on Julian McMahon.
McMahon was being prostituted–in the literal sense–as the leading man in what my FX colleagues had deemed a worthy enough concept to be the crucial second act in its quixotic attempt to become “free HBO”, the layered and titillating drama nip/tuck (yes, the preferred typeface was lower case, just like e.e. cummings). McMahon was not a complete unknown to the TV universe when this premiered in 2003; he had developed a cult following as the hauntingly handsome yet evil villain in the underappreciated WB series CHARMED. He also had a supporting role in the NBC drama PROFILER which starred the kick-ass actress Ally Walker, who just happened to be the wife of our incoming head of creative and eventual mayor of Hollywood John Landgraf.
When he showed up with what I later learned was his former but still amicable ex-wife Brooke Burns, a personality I had more familarity with due to her unique talents as both model and game show personality (she had emerged from the cast of BAYWATCH to become the de facto successor to Kitty Carlisle on the short-lived 2000 reboot of TO TELL THE TRUTH), they were about as breathtaking a couple as I had ever seen. It was almost poignant to see my colleagues panting at the very sight of them–and yes, I mean both. McMahon was that striking in person.
And for those that remember his seven years as the promiscuous and conflicted Christian Troy, the ideal friend and foe to Dylan Walsh’s somewhat more grounded Sean McNamara as partners in a fictional Beverly Hills plastic surgery practice that consistently taught the real life lesson that people obsessed with fixing their exterior almost never dealt with their damaged interiors, you’ll likely remember why almost every time we researched the show invariably some discussion about how his dimpled ass flexed while he was engaged in some relatively explicit sex scene or his chiseled chin would contort in some overly emotional post-mortem was a given.
That’s probably why I was so gobsmacked when this story dominated an otherwise quiet holiday news timeline I was desperately looking to supply something other than reports of a White House victory lap. THE WRAP’s Jeremy Fuster was among the many with this somber story:
Julian McMahon, best known for his Golden Globe nominated performance as Dr. Christian Troy on the FX series “Nip/Tuck,” has died at the age of 56 from cancer. “With an open heart, I wish to share with the world that my beloved husband, Julian McMahon, died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer,” McMahon’s wife, Kelly McMahon, said in a statement Friday. “Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans. His deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible. We ask for support during this time to allow our family to grieve in privacy. And we wish for all of those to whom Julian brought joy, to continue to find joy in life. We are grateful for the memories.
And DEADLINE’s Glenn Garner dutifully captured the outpouring of similar shock and emotion to mine in his compilation piece:
Rose McGowan, who starred with McMahon on The WB’s Charmed, shared a statement on her Instagram Story. “Oh Julian you force of brilliance, wild talent and humour. For you, your family and loving fans all over the world, I pray comfort.”
Ioan Gruffudd, who played the Mister Fantastic to his Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007), also reacted to the “terribly sad news.” ” Even though we played each other’s nemeses, there was always so much lightness and laughter working together. Every encounter with him was a joy,” he wrote on Instagram. “It was an honor to be Dr. Richards to his Dr. Doom. My heart goes out to his wife and family. God speed Julian.”
McMahon’s Nip/Tuck co-star Kelly Carlson reacted to the news in a video. “I just heard about the passing of Julian McMahon,” she prefaced, adding: “I’m completely shocked and saddened by it. I didn’t know he wasn’t well for a while.”
Pretty much no one did. We last saw him as the lead in CBS’ FBI: MOST WANTED from 2020-22 only to be mysteriously dropped as the lead after three seasons. He looked as robust and as leading man as ever at that point. Only in his most recent pictures, ones taken in March at SXSW in support of his role in the upcoming Nicholas Cage thriller THE SURFER, give any hint of an illness, and at least I saw not even a rumor about any such issue from even the most gossipy journos.
Which I suppose is once again the lesson of nip/tuck rising above the more obvious and surface observations. Its haunting theme song “Make Me” had very few actual lyrics but they resonated deeply with anyone invested as either fan or colleague–in my case, doubly since I was both:
Make me beautiful
Make me…
A perfect soul
A perfect mind
A perfect face
A perfect lie
We all had concluded Julian McMahon was the embodiment of the first three of those truths. What we sadly learned yesterday is that he was also exemplary of the fourth.
I’m heartbroken for the daughter he and Burns produced, their precious “Maddie”, who she has placed as her ultimate priority even while her own career in game shows and Hallmark dramas blossomed. While I never knew Kelly, it’s clear he found unquestionable love and support from her. And I’m far more heartbroken for anyone who has envied someone with his obvious talents and lifescript–we haven’t even mentioned that he grew up the son of the Prime Minister of Australia. What we see on the outside if often not reflective of the damaged inside. In his case, tragically this was true in the physical (as opposed to emotional) sense.
G-dspeed, Dr. Troy.
Until next time…