‘Fantastic Four’ actor Julian McMahon passes away at 56

Australian actor Julian McMahon, best known for his portrayal of Dr Doom in Marvel's "Fantastic Four" franchise, has passed away at the age of 56. According to Deadline, the actor died in Florida following a battle with cancer.

His wife, Kelly McMahon, confirmed the news in a statement to the outlet, saying, "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."

She further requested privacy during this time, adding, "We are grateful for the memories."

McMahon, the son of former Australian Prime Minister Billy McMahon, began his career as a model before making his screen debut in the 1989 Australian soap "The Power, the Passion". He went on to star in the 1992 film "Wet and Wild Summer!" alongside Elliott Gould.

In the early 1990s, McMahon transitioned to American television with a role in "Another World", before securing a main role in the NBC crime drama "Profiler", which ran for four seasons. He later gained popularity playing the character of Cole Turner in the WB supernatural series "Charmed".

His breakthrough in cinema came with his role as the iconic Marvel villain Dr Doom in "Fantastic Four" (2005) and its sequel "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (2007).

Beyond his superhero fame, McMahon's filmography includes titles such as "Premonition", "RED", "Paranoia", "You're Not You", and "Swinging Safari". His final film, "The Surfer", in which he starred alongside Nicolas Cage, premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in the Midnight Screenings section.

McMahon was most recently seen in Netflix's murder mystery series "The Residence", where he played the role of the Australian Prime Minister.