Julian McMahon’s tragic death this week has prompted fans across the globe to reflect on the actor’s prolific career – and his dramatic relationship history.
The Nip/Tuck and Charmed star died at age 56 following a private battle with cancer, his heartbroken wife Kelly Paniagua confirmed in an emotional statement on July 4.
‘Julian loved life. He loved his family. He loved his friends. He loved his work, and he loved his fans,’ she said.
‘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.’
As tributes pour in for the Australian actor, Daily Mail Australia takes a look back at the women who played key roles in his life – from high-profile marriages to low-key romances that rarely made headlines.
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Before his Hollywood breakthrough, McMahon made headlines in his native Australia when he married Home and Away co-star and singer Dannii Minogue. Pictured together in 1995
Dannii said that the romance was complicated by financial issues. Pictured in 1992
A short-lived union with pop princess Dannii Minogue
Before his Hollywood breakthrough, McMahon made headlines in his native Australia when he married Home and Away co-star and singer Dannii Minogue.
The pair, who met on the set of the hit soap in the late ’80s, wed in 1994 during what was dubbed a ‘fairytale’ showbiz wedding.
But behind the scenes, things were far from picture perfect.
Their marriage lasted just 18 months, torn apart by distance, pressure and reported family tensions.
Minogue later revealed in an interview that McMahon’s mother – late Lady Sonia McMahon, the glamorous wife of former Prime Minister Sir William McMahon – never approved of their union.
‘There was no relationship, she wouldn’t speak to me, I wasn’t allowed to be near her in the house, she said she wasn’t coming to the wedding,’ Minogue candidly told No Filter in the past.
‘We just had no idea how to handle it – we were just trying to’.
Dannii said that the romance was complicated by financial issues.
‘She (Julian’s mother) didn’t support her son, I did. I paid for everything and I worked every day to earn that money to pay for everything,’ the actress said.
The singer, now 52, also claimed the constant travel between the UK and US to keep the relationship alive left her in debt.
‘I not only ran out of money – I was in debt,’ Dannii explained.
‘It was a huge struggle emotionally, physically, mentally, financially.’
In 1999, Julian tied the knot with American actress Brooke Burns, best known for her role in Baywatch. The couple welcomed daughter Madison the following year, but their marriage collapsed in 2001. Pictured together in 2000
Julian had praised his ex-wife following their split and described their co-parenting of their daughter Madison, now 25, (left) as relatively harmonious
Second marriage ends in heartbreak – and scandal
In 1999, Julian tied the knot with American actress Brooke Burns, best known for her role in Baywatch.
The couple welcomed daughter Madison, now 25, the following year, but their marriage collapsed in 2001.
Burns, 46, honoured her late ex-husband with a touching Instagram tribute following news of his passing, sharing a sweet photo of Julian with their daughter and writing simply: ‘Rest in peace .’
But their relationship wasn’t without controversy.
During their short-lived union, McMahon was rumoured to have had a fling with his Charmed co-star Shannen Doherty.
The timing of the alleged romance reportedly overlapped with the final season of Doherty’s role on the show in 2000-2001.
Burns reportedly discovered the affair in the tabloids.
During their short-lived union, McMahon was rumoured to have had a fling with his Charmed co-star Shannen Doherty (right). The timing of the alleged romance reportedly overlapped with the final season of Doherty’s role on the show in 2000-2001
‘It was the straw that broke the camel’s back,’ Burns once told Nicki Swift, later admitting, ‘He got carried away by all the Los Angeles hoopla.’
Doherty died after a battle with breast cancer in July 2024 – just a year before Julian.
Julian had praised his ex-wife following their split and described their co-parenting of their daughter as relatively harmonious.
‘We just go day by day, basically. Whoever has the most amount of work will not have the child that day or night,’ he told Ocean Drive Magazine in 2003.
‘It basically stems from the fact that we want our daughter to spend as much time with each parent as she can.’
He added: ‘If it comes down to trying to give your child the best life you possibly can, then it kind of comes easy.
‘It’s not about arguing, fighting and trying to manipulate each other anymore.
‘It’s just about trying to make sure that our little girl grows up with everything we can offer her.’
After two high-profile breakups, McMahon kept his next relationship largely out of the spotlight. He began dating author and model Kelly Paniagua in 2003, and after more than a decade together, the pair married in a quiet ceremony at Lake Tahoe in 2014. Pictured in 2017
A private love with wife Kelly Paniagua
After two high-profile breakups, McMahon kept his next relationship largely out of the spotlight.
He began dating author and model Kelly Paniagua in 2003, and after more than a decade together, the pair married in a quiet ceremony at Lake Tahoe in 2014.
According to reports at the time, the actor popped the question during a romantic trip to Melbourne in late 2013.
Unlike his past marriages, Julian and Kelly kept their love life intensely private, rarely appearing together at events or discussing their relationship in interviews.
In her heart-wrenching statement, Kelly described Julian as her ‘beloved husband,’ saying he ‘died peacefully this week after a valiant effort to overcome cancer.’
‘He was truly one of a kind,’ she added.
It was Kelly who confirmed his death on Friday.
She gave a statement to Deadline which 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.’
It was Kelly who confirmed his death on Friday. Pictured together in 2017
Kelly – whom he married in 2014 – continued by expressing the love Julian had for his fans and those around him and what being an actor meant to him during his life.
She continued: ‘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.’
Julian McMahon was at the height of his acting career just one month before he died, aged 56, this week.
The former Home and Away star passed away after a secret battle with cancer, his wife, Kelly Paniagua, confirmed on Friday.
Julian made a triumphant return to the screen, starring alongside Nicholas Cage in the Stan original film The Surfer.
He shone as a surf gang leader in the new movie, which was released in May.
He delivered a searing performance as Scally, a charismatic and menacing guru-like figure who leads a group of surfers and acts as a local authority in Luna Bay.
