It's been more than 20 years since the Charmed season 5 episode when Cole was vanquished by his love Phoebe Halliwell. Still, I think about how the powerful demon deserved better. I feel like many of us viewers had a soft spot for Cole Turner/Belthazor/The Source despite his flaws. A huge part of that really all came down to the talent of the late Julian McMahon.
On July 2, 2025, McMahon passed away at the age of 56 after a private battle with cancer. His wife, Kelly McMahon, announced the news. He has one daughter, Madison, from his previous marriage to Brooke Burns. His death comes almost a year after Prue actress Shannen Doherty's passing on July 13, 2024.
Phoebe actress Alyssa Milano, as well as other Charmed co-stars, posted a tribute to her former co-star and friend on social media. She shared how the actor was "more than my TV husband. He was a dear friend." We shared the heartwarming message below.
McMahon really was all of those things that Milano shared above. You could see it, even if us fans obviously didn't have that same personal relationship with him that she did. He started out his career in smaller shows like Another World and Profiler before coming on to Charmed in season 3 and gaining more recognition. That's when, in my opinion, some of the best storylines and a love story you rooted for started to grow.
I was, and still am, a hardcore shipper of Phoebe and Cole. Yes, he started out with all the wrong intentions. A demon assassin sent to kill the Charmed Ones, going for Phoebe who he thought was the weakest link. Though this half human, half demon fell hard and fast for her, and honestly the two had such an electric chemistry. There were so many moments between them that just melted my heart.
Unfortunately, that love story goes south. The Seer is I think one of the characters I hate most from all the foes the sisters faced. It's because of her that Cole, basically, became possessed with the Source and his abilities. He was tricked, and everything he did and the evil that grew in him was out of his control. If anything, through it all, it was the strength of his love for Phoebe that remained and was the last bit of humanity left.
Now look, I know that afterwards when he's brought back from the Wasteland he makes some very wrong decisions. And this time, he wasn't possessed by anything. Cole goes a little too crazy and gets too obsessed with Phoebe in trying to win her back. Ultimately, it doesn't work and Phoebe has moved on.
Even so, at least at the point where he was consumed by the Source, I still think Cole deserved better. He tried really hard, and at the end it was his love for Phoebe that drove everything in him. The Seer and the Source used that against him, and unfortunately he never had a chance with her again after that. It's a true shame, and I really still think that Phoebe should have ended up with Cole somehow in the end.
Charmed season 5 episode 12 is the final time he's alive, and McMahon returns in season 7 episode 16 where we see him in the void that's between life and death. It's obvious he's not over Phoebe, but has somewhat come to a place where he's accepted his fate and the end of their story. Now, all he wants is for her to be happy even if it isn't with him.
All of this is to say that Cole had heart, was so complex battling love and evil internally, Cole and Phoebe's chemistry was off the charts, and so much more. It was not an easy character to play, though someone as talented as McMahon was able to do it. And he did it so effortlessly it looked like. The character wen through a lot in two seasons and had so many layers. And McMahon handled it all wonderfully.
After Charmed, I became a fan of the actor's work and enjoyed getting to see him in Nip/Tuck, the FBI franchise on CBS, and in his final role on Netflix's The Residence. He will be remembered and missed, and we're lucky to have been able to see so much of his talent all these years on television.
On behalf of the GeekSided community, our thoughts are with Julian McMahon's family and friends.
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