EXCLUSIVE: Mystery Deepens Over Why Tragic Julian McMahon Spent His Final Cancer-Stricken Days in Scientology's 'Mecca' — 'No-One Moves There'

Julian McMahon’s widow has revealed details about the star's final days.
July 18 2025, Published 12:30 p.m. ET
Julian McMahon’s widow Kelly Paniagua has spoken of her husband’s “valiant effort to overcome cancer” — as questions mount over why the beloved actor spent his final days in Clearwater, Florida.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the city is dubbed the spiritual headquarters of the Church of Scientology.
Secret Cancer Battle

The Australian actor is known for his breakout roles in 'Nip/Tuck' and 'Charmed.'
McMahon, the 56-year-old Australian actor known for his breakout roles in Nip/Tuck and Charmed, died on July 2 from head and neck metastatic cancer, which had spread to his lungs.
His death in Clearwater — a city of 116,000 on Florida’s west coast — has triggered speculation over the circumstances of his final, agonizing days due to the town’s deep-rooted ties to Scientology.
The Pinellas County Medical Examiner confirmed McMahon’s death was from natural causes and that his remains were cremated.
Clearwater, dubbed the “Mecca” of Scientology, is home to the religion’s global headquarters, Flag, and to prominent followers including Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
Nearly all of downtown’s real estate is owned by the church or its affiliates.
“I was wondering if Julian McMahon was a Scientologist since he died in Clearwater,” one local wrote on Instagram.
“Why else would he live the last few months of his life there?” another posted on Twitter.
Despite intense and growing online speculation, there is no public record linking McMahon, his 47-year-old wife Paniagua, daughter Madison, 25, or ex-wife Brooke Burns, 46, to the Church of Scientology.
A search of Scientology databases yielded no connection, and neither McMahon nor his family ever spoke publicly about religious affiliations.
Still, the location has raised eyebrows. “People don’t just end up in Clearwater by chance,” said a source. “You go there for the beach, to retire — or because of Scientology. And Julian wasn’t at retirement age.”
McMahon and his wife sold their Malibu property in 2017 and later listed their 4.4-acre avocado and lemon ranch in Somis, Ventura County, California.
That home, which featured a three-bedroom hacienda-style residence, was relisted in July 2023 and sold by October.
Since then, there were no listed permanent addresses for the couple, aside from a business contact for a celebrity accountant in Encino, California.
'He Loved Life'

His wife said his 'deepest wish was to bring joy into as many lives as possible.'
In her announcement of McMahon’s death, Paniagua said: “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.”
The couple’s last known ties to Florida appear modest. One of the 20 Instagram accounts McMahon followed was a small Italian eatery in Hollywood, Florida.
A spokesperson for Mari’s Kitchen said: “Yes, he is very missed here. One of our good friends.”
Madison, McMahon’s daughter from his marriage to Burns, is believed to be living in Miami, where she teaches yoga classes.

McMahon had a handful of huge movie roles over the years.

A local observer on Reddit attempted to downplay the speculation, writing: “He was an Australian who loved the beach. I don’t see him being involved with Scientology.”
Yet the coincidences linger. John Travolta’s wife, actress Kelly Preston, also died of cancer in Clearwater in 2020. Kirstie Alley, another high-profile follower, died in the same city in 2022.
Scientologists lean towards hippie-style spiritual “remedies” instead of medical treatments when it comes to serious illnesses, though it is believed McMahon underwent traditional methods of treatment for his illness.

It is not known what his care plan status was when he died.
It is not known what his care plan status was when he died.
McMahon’s final film role was in The Surfer, an Australian production starring Nicolas Cage.
“I spent six weeks working with Julian, and he was the most talented of actors,” Cage said. “He was a kind and intelligent man. My love to his family.”
McMahon rose to fame in the early 2000s with his role as Dr. Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck, before cementing his status as a heartthrob in Charmed.
He later portrayed Jess LaCroix in FBI: Most Wanted and played villain Dr. Doom in Fantastic Four and its sequel.He and Paniagua married in Lake Tahoe in 2014 after 11 years together.
His first marriage, to pop singer Dannii Minogue, ended in 1995 after less than two years. Minogue has since spoken of tensions with McMahon’s late mother, Lady Sonia McMahon, saying: “His family did not like me… there was drama on the actual day of the wedding.”