Julian McMahon was a household name in America at the time of his death, having had a career trajectory that saw him on some of Hollywood’s biggest shows less than a decade after leaving Sydney for La La Land.

Despite a childhood as a political blueblood, the actor never followed his former Prime Minister father, William McMahon, into a life of politics or as a Liberal Party powerbroker.

Instead, he found a home in Hollywood, where he was to become one of Australia’s biggest exports on popular American TV shows, like Profiler, Charmed, and Nip/Tuck throughout the 2000s.

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Born in Sydney, McMahon always showed an interest in the spotlight.

Despite studying law at the University of Sydney, McMahon’s natural good looks saw him booked on a number of modelling gigs.

He became a working model across fashion capitals London, Paris and Milan until his father’s death in 1988, when he relocated back to Australia from the European modelling hubs.

McMahon wandered into acting in the late 1980s, first appearing on the Seven Network soap, The Power, The Passion, as Kane Edmonds, in 1989. He next moved to Home and Away, starring as Ben Lucini from 1990 to 1991.

Following his stint in Summer Bay, McMahon instantly became a household name.

“He worked at it (his acting),” 7NEWS Entertainment Editor, Peter Ford, told Sunrise on Saturday.

“He went and took lessons. He wanted to be good, and he became really good.”

McMahon famously married Dannii Minogue in 1994, after the pair met on the Home and Away set.

They split just a year later, in one of Australia’s most ill-fated celebrity romances.

“That was doomed to failure, unfortunately, because of Lady Sonia McMahon, his mum, did not approve at all of that marriage,” Ford said of the young couple.

McMahon first took his acting stateside in 1993, appearing on the NBC soap, Another World, in nothing but a speedo.

However, it wasn’t until he landed in Hollywood full-time that he became a big name.

McMahon first appeared in the hit NBC series Profiler, starring as Detective John Grant in the crime drama, from 1996 to 2000.

He then got a big break as Cole Turner in the Aaron Spelling hit, Charmed, from 2000 to 2003.

The actor then got another big break starring on Nip/Tuck as troubled Dr. Christian Troy, from 2003 to 2010. The role of Christian is considered McMahon’s most widely successful job on American TV.

“(After the) daytime soap (Another World), ... He then began quite a good run of hit shows with Charmed and with Nip/Tuck. He really kept working constantly,” Ford said.

“He never became what you would call an A-list star. But it was a good, solid career.

“He made a lot of money.”

McMahon’s shows Charmed and Nip/Tuck both won Emmy Awards. He was also nominated for a Best Actor gong at the Golden Globes for his portrayal of morally complex Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck.

The actor ventured into films around this time, starring in Chasing Sleep in 2000, Premonition, alongside Sandra Bullock, in 2007, Red, alongside Bruce Willis in 2010, and Faces in the Crowd opposite Milla Jovovich in 2011.

He also played Victor Von Doom in the two films of the Fantastic Four franchise.

McMahon headed back Down Under for Swinging Safari in 2018. He starred opposite big Australian names like former sister-in-law Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, and Asher Keddie for the flick.

The actor then travelled back stateside to appear in CBS crime drama FBI: Most Wanted. He also made appearances in the other related series FBI and spin-off, FBI International. He exited the show in 2022.

“It was a great career,” Ford said.

More recently, McMahon had been spending time with wife.

“It doesn’t seem he’s been out and about much,” Ford said.

“There’s been no talk of him doing any more work.

“So, I think as Kelly has said, he wanted to (deal with his illness) privately.”