Julian McMahon’s ‘Skewed’ World

Julian McMahon, an actor widely known for his dark and racy roles, is embarking on an uncharted course: the one traveled by the regular American Joe.

After gaining fame in the United States by playing such parts as the fierce demon Cole Turner on the television show “Charmed” and the smoldering Dr. Christian Troy on “Nip/Tuck,” the native Aussie’s new film, “Premonition,” finds him in a surprisingly tame role.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD

Although “Premonition” is meant to be a psychological thriller, McMahon’s character—Jim Hanson—is anything but a thriller of a man. A caring husband and loving father of two charming daughters, Jim embodies—as McMahon describes in a phone interview with the Crimson—a “middle-American mainstream lifestyle.”

“Premonition” tells the story of a family’s picture-perfect life, until the day Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) drops her daughters off at school and comes home to find her husband has been killed in a car crash.

Even more shocking, she wakes up the next morning to discover him safe and sound.

Eventually, she comes to realize that the days of her week are out of order, and so begins a tumultuous race to save her husband’s life.

“You have to make sure you’re wearing the right outfit or you’re in the right frame of mind,” says McMahon of the “tricky” shooting schedule.

Other challenges made the role appealing—namely, the “very engaging and very sensitive script,” the potential of working with up-and-coming director Mennan Yapo, and the chance to play opposite Bullock, whom he affectionately terms “Sandy,” McMahon says.

A ROAD AWAY FROM SEX?

McMahon says “Premonition” breaks new ground for him.

“Everybody’s seen me as this ‘Nip/Tuck’ guy for the last four years, but I just wanted to play something different,” he says.“I remember getting it and thinking, ‘God, I can’t believe they would consider me for this role, because it just so is not what is out there of me.’”

After all, McMahon spent 48 episodes as a warlock on “Charmed,” and is nothing if not a slick ladies’ man on “Nip/Tuck,” which has thus far kept him occupied for 59 episodes.

“It’s a very mature show, and I wouldn’t be showing it to anybody under the age of 18, maybe even 21,” says the actor of the racy FX series.

Despite the show’s reputation, he clarifies that “Nip/Tuck” cannot show “frontal nudity, some certain side nudity, [and] the only word[s] we’re allowed to say on that show is ‘shit’ and a couple blasphemous-type words.”

Still, he notes, “having constraints gives you different ideas about things...it gives you a way to work differently.”

NEVER FEAR, FANS

McMahon’s stint with “Nip/Tuck” is certain to last at least another two years. Although production time on each episode is an alarmingly short seven days (as opposed to the standard 10-14) and the work is “consistently draining,” the role is one McMahon fought hard to get.

“The medium of TV can get a little boring sometimes,” he says. Nevertheless, he is eager to start shooting again in June, when the show will move to Los Angeles.

“It’ll be like doing a new show with the same people,” he says.

McMahon sees similarities between Jim Hanson and Dr. Troy, as well.

“I’m always attracted to something that’s a little skewed, a little off, sometimes extremely off,” he says.

How viewers will respond to McMahon’s unusual choice of role is yet to be seen.

Regardless, his other two films in the works this year promise to keep the actor’s fan base satisfied.

He will return to the screen as the villainous Victor Von Doom in the sequel “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” in June, and he will star in the independent horror flick, “Prisoner” later this year.