Alyssa Milano has paid tribute to her friend and former co-star Julian McMahon, who she remembers as a talent whose charisma lit up the room, and who supported her at every turn.
McMahon, the Australian actor and son of former Australian prime minister Billy McMahon, has died at the age of 56 following a battle with cancer. During his pomp, McMahon commanded the small screen with major roles in “FBI: Most Wanted,” and “Nip/Tuck” and as the evil Doctor Doom in the “Fantastic Four” films.
The late star played Cole Turner opposite Milano’s Phoebe Halliwell in “Charmed”, which ran for eight seasons from 1998 to 2006.
“I’m heartbroken. Julian McMahon was magic. That smile. That laugh. That talent. That presence,” writes Milano, who got her break as Samantha Micelli in the 1980s sitcom “Who’s The Boss” and who, in October 2017, played a key role in amplifying the #MeToo movement.
“He walked into a room and lit it up—not just with charisma, but with kindness. With mischief. With soulful understanding,” she continues.
The actors spent years together on “Charmed”, she adds, “years of scenes, stories, and so many in-between moments. He made me feel safe as an actor. Seen as a woman. He challenged me, teased me, supported me. We were so different, and yet somehow we always understood each other.”
McMahon was “more than my TV husband. He was a dear friend,” she recounts. “The kind who checks in. The kind who remembers. The kind who shares. The kind who tells you the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable—but always with love.”
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Like so many globe-trotting Australian actors, McMahon got his start on a string of Australian TV soaps, including “Home and Away.”
McMahon’s first major leading role in television was on Ryan Murphy’s plastic surgery series “Nip/Tuck,” which ran for six seasons on FX. He earned a Golden Globe nomination in 2005 for his portrayal of the cocksure surgeon Dr. Christian Troy.
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