From Nip/Tuck and FBI: Most Wanted to Fantastic Four and Swinging Safari, the late Julian McMahon’s acting career traversed the small screen to the big screen and back again over his three decades in the industry.
Before his untimely death, the 56-year-old Aussie star was back Down Under filming The Surfer, a psychological thriller that saw him take on the role of Scally – the alpha male ringleader of a group of local surfing loyalists – opposite leading man Nicolas Cage.
Just weeks before the news of his passing on July 2, the US-based actor chatted to WHO about returning home, reclaiming his Aussie accent and why he loved playing the bad guy.
WHO: What drew you to your role in The Surfer?
Julian: There were a multitude of reasons I was interested in the script for The Surfer even before I read it.
I was aware of [director] Lorcan Finnegan as a filmmaker. I had seen Vivariam and Nocebo, and found them both unique and through the eyes of a definitive filmmaker.
I was also intrigued by the location [of Yallingup, Western Australia]. That part of the world hasn’t been photographed often, and so being able to use that environment as a background/backdrop/character of this extremely beautiful and untouched place felt like a great opportunity.
I have been a Nicolas Cage fan since as long as I can remember, and knowing he was attached was really an inspiration unto itself.
You’ve become known for playing the villain or damaged characters. What attracts you to those types of roles?
I guess I like the complexity because there is a little more to dig into. To find that inner character, you need to challenge yourself to explore parts of yourself you’ve never seen before.
And let’s be honest, it looks like the bad guys are having just a little bit more fun.
What was it like working with Nicolas?
Nicolas is a true gentleman. He was giving, thoughtful, supportive and inclusive.
From the first scene we worked on together, which happened to be the infamous burger eating, “I’ll eat your lunch” scene, I realised that the journey we were about to head on was going to be open and creative.
And there is no greater gift to give another actor than complete freedom on set. Working with Nicolas is a dream come true.
This film is said to be an exploration of toxic masculinity. What’s your take on that?
I certainly didn’t approach it from that perspective when I was preparing or developing the character of Scally.
There were so many other elements that, to me, spoke profoundly towards who Scally is that I leaned into those. My job is to create a character with as much detail and precision as possible.
It’s for the audience to interpret where that leads on the scale of masculinity and everything else.
It’s been a while since you filmed something Down Under. What was it like being back in Australia to shoot?
It was great. Any chance to get home is one that I try to take. Add onto that, a trip to the beautiful Margaret River – that’s a tough thing to say no to.
You’ve admitted it took you a few days to get your Aussie accent back for the role. Is there anything you did in particular to recapture it?
Basically just spent a whole bunch of time with a bunch of Aussies. Every morning, we had a contest to see how far you could take your Australian accent – and we did that all the way through breakfast.
By the time it came to shooting, I was about as Aussie as you can get, mate!
You also recently played a fictional version of an Australian prime minister in The Residence. Are you enjoying taking on Aussie characters again?
Absolutely. The Australian characters I have been reading and playing are broad, complex, fun and exciting to play.
What’s next for you?
Let’s hope it’s another bad guy, shot south of Perth, with all my time being spent at the beach in Yallingup, eating meat pies and drinking VB.
Sadly, Julian passed away in early July 2025 after a battle with cancer.
