The Australian film industry paid a poignant tribute to the late actor Julian McMahon at the AACTA Awards on Friday night, honouring him posthumously for his role in the psychological thriller The Surfer. McMahon, who passed away from cancer in Florida on July 2 last year at the age of 56, starred alongside Hollywood icon Nicolas Cage in what would become his final cinematic performance.
Emotional Acceptance by Widow Kelly Paniagua
During the ceremony held at HOTA on the Gold Coast, McMahon's widow, Kelly Paniagua, accepted the Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film on his behalf. Delivering a heartfelt and emotional speech, she shared McMahon's deep connection to the project and his homeland. "He knew everyone was special," Paniagua stated from the stage. "To get this moment tonight, the reason he loved this project so much was that he came home to Australia."
She continued, expressing McMahon's profound affection for his family and country: "I know Julian would want to dedicate this to his family, who he loved so deeply... I would like to dedicate this to you, Australia, the country that made him." In a lighter moment, Paniagua made a playful joke on her late husband's behalf, quipping, "He would want me to say, go the Wallabies, and go the Blues. Sorry, Queensland."
The Surfer: A Final Cinematic Achievement
The Surfer, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2024 and was released in 2025, features McMahon in a searing performance as Scally, a surf gang leader. McMahon attended the SXSW premiere of the film just months before his death, marking it as his final movie appearance. The project held significant personal meaning for the actor, representing a return to his Australian roots.
Personal Life and Relationships
Julian McMahon married model and author Kelly Paniagua in 2014, after being together for 11 years. Their romantic ceremony took place in Lake Tahoe, a scenic lakeside area straddling California and Nevada. Prior to this union, McMahon had been married twice. He first wed Baywatch actress Brooke Burns in 1999, with whom he shares a daughter, Madison, now 25; the marriage ended after three years.
His second marriage was to Australian actress and singer Dannii Minogue in 1994, following their meeting on the set of the iconic soap Home and Away, where McMahon played the fan-favourite character Ben Lucini. This union proved short-lived, lasting only a year and a half. During his time on the supernatural drama Charmed, McMahon was also romantically linked to co-star Shannen Doherty, with the pair dating briefly during the show's third season from 2000 to 2001.
A Storied Career in Film and Television
The son of former Australian Prime Minister William McMahon, Julian McMahon rose to fame in Australia through his role on Home and Away from 1990 to 1991. He then relocated to the United States to pursue a Hollywood career, quickly securing a role on the long-running NBC soap Another World in 1993. Over the decades, McMahon amassed an impressive list of credits across both television and film.
He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the charismatic plastic surgeon Christian Troy on the Ryan Murphy medical drama Nip/Tuck, a role that earned him a Golden Globe Best Actor nomination in 2004, though he lost out to Ian McShane. Prior to that, McMahon starred as the half-demon Cole Turner on the cult magical drama Charmed, alongside Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano.
More recently, McMahon played Special Agent Jess LaCroix on the Dick Wolf-created series FBI, as well as its spin-offs FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International. His versatile career saw him portray a wide range of characters, from playboy surgeons to nefarious superhero villains, cementing his status as a formidable talent in the entertainment industry.
Kelly Paniagua confirmed McMahon's death in July, revealing he had been battling cancer privately. His posthumous honour at the AACTA Awards serves as a fitting tribute to a career that spanned continents and genres, leaving a lasting legacy in Australian and international cinema.
