Julian McMahon‘s precise cause of death has been revealed, a little over a week after the much-loved actor died aged 56. The Sydney-born star, known for his leading roles in Charmed, Nip/Tuck, and FBI: Most Wanted, as well as portraying the iconic Marvel villain Doctor Doom in the 2000s Fantastic Four movies, passed away on July 2, 2025, after what his wife, Kelly, revealed to be “a valiant effort to overcome cancer.” The manner of death has now been ruled as natural, with new details emerging about his recent health battle.
According to a Cremation Approval Summary Report from the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office in Florida obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, McMahon “died from lung metastasis as a result of head and neck metastatic cancer.” Metastasis, in the context of cancer, is the process where cancer cells spread from the primary tumor to other parts of the body. McMahon’s cancer diagnosis was made public by Kelly, whom he married in 2014, when she announced his death on July 4. She released a statement that read:
“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. 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.”
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McMahon was a versatile actor whose career spanned decades, gaining significant recognition for his roles as the conflicted half-demon Cole Turner in Charmed, the charismatic plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck, and the tough but compassionate Fugitive Task Force leader Jess LaCroix in FBI: Most Wanted. He also stepped into the cloak of Victor von Doom in Marvel’s Fantastic Four and its sequel Rise of the Silver Surfer. His final role was in The Residence on Netflix, in which he played the Australian Prime Minister.
‘Fantastic Four’ Stars Paid Tribute to Julian McMahon
Tributes quickly poured in for McMahon, from both those who have worked with the actor and those who have spent many years watching him on their screens. Among those paying their respects were the stars of Fantastic Four. Michael Chiklis, who played Ben Grimm, aka The Thing, shared a post on Instagram to remember his former co-star. “I’m devastated to hear of the passing of my friend Julian,” he wrote alongside a snap of the two of them together with Jessica Alba. “Life is so precious and fragile. My condolences to his family. RIP Jules.”
Ioan Gruffudd, who played Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, opposite McMahon’s Doctor Doom, also paid tribute on Instagram in a touching post he shared with his followers. It read:
“This is terribly sad news about Julian.
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.
It was an honor to be Dr. Richards to his Dr. Doom. My heart goes out to his wife and family.
God speed Julian.”
In March of this year, McMahon shared his support for the casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom in the MCU’s Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. He expressed confidence in the actor’s talents to usher in the new iteration of the classic character, saying at SXSW, “If you’ve got Robert Downey Jr, who’s one of the great creatives of the last however many years we’ve been watching him for, mixed with the elements of how we can make movies these days? I think it’s going to be pretty extraordinary.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
- Birthname
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Julian Dana William McMahon
- Birthdate
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July 27, 1968
- Birthplace
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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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