Charmed Star Julian McMahon's Final Instagram Post Is Heartbreaking Now

On July 4, 2025, it came to light that actor Julian McMahon — known for his time as a cast member on the fantasy drama series "Charmed," as well as for his villainous role in the 2000s "Fantastic Four" films — had died of cancer at the age of 56 two days prior. The tragic news about the "Charmed" star shocked the entertainment world, with many taking to social media to pay tribute to McMahon. And speaking of social media, though McMahon's passing is devastating in its own right, the actor's final Instagram post acts as a stark reminder of just how unexpected it was, and just how fleeting life truly is.

McMahon last posted on Instagram on Feb. 27, 2025 — just over four months before his death. In the post, the actor expressed excitement over the theatrical release of his movie "The Surfer," in which he starred opposite Nicolas Cage. "Hey there everyone. Just letting you know we have a great movie coming out, directed by Lorcan Finnegan. Its premiere is at SXSW, very exciting, and it's in theaters May 2nd. It's a psychological thriller, very unique, and very entertaining. I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it. Cheers," McMahon wrote. "The Surfer" initially premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in France in May 2024 before making its way to cinemas in the US, Ireland, the UK, and McMahon's native Australia exactly one year later. One of McMahon's last public appearances came at the film's SXSW premiere in Austin, Texas, this past March.

Part of the reason McMahon's death was so unexpected was that the actor opted to keep his cancer diagnosis a secret from the general public. This sort of thing isn't terribly uncommon for celebrities, with the cancer-related deaths of Chadwick Boseman, Paul Reubens, and Norm Macdonald similarly shocking the masses over the past several years. What's more, McMahon apparently kept working despite his illness. It ended up being McMahon's wife, Kelly, who revealed what he had been going through in her July 4, 2025 statement to Deadline.

"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," Kelly McMahon said, adding, "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."

In addition to his roles in "Charmed" and the "Fantastic Four" movies, McMahon gained recognition thanks to his lead role on the FX medical drama "Nip/Tuck." He later joined the main cast of shows like "Marvel's Runaways" on Hulu and "FBI: Most Wanted" on CBS. Not counting "The Surfer," his final cinematic role to date was in the Hulu-exclusive drama film "The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat."