Julain Article
 
With his divorce from actor Brooke Burns imminent, TV heartthrob Julian McMahon is embracing life as a single dad - with the help of his 'little buddy' and former Charmed co-star Shannen Doherty. The 33 year old Aussie actor is on good terms with his estranged wife and devoted to their one-year old daughter Madison, with whom he spends every free minute at his Hollywood Hills mansion. In an exclusive interview with New Idea, Julian reveals he takes Madison to work with him on the set of hit TV series Charmed, as well as his new movie Another Day, due for release next year. 'The good thing about the series for me is that I get to stay here in Los Angeles. If you go away a lot when your kids are young, you're afraid you'll miss things,' he says.
While he and Brooke (whom he wed in December 1999) plan an amicable divorce and joint custody of Madison, Julian's close friendship with Shannen Doherty, 30, is the talk of Hollywood.
'Julian loves how she's so full of life and how she takes the mickey out of Hollywood,' says a friend of Shannen, who's on probation for drink driving.
'Sure, she likes to party but she's very talented as an actor and is going to be a hell of a director.
'These two met on the set of Charmed last year. Julian, who plays both the good Cole Turner and evil Belthazor, is signed up for filming next season.
Even though Shannen has left the series, the pair's friendship has gone from strength to strength. The pair insist they're just good friends, but were spotted recently kissing and playing together on the beach in the Caribbean paradise of St Barts.
Then, only last week, the pair looked very close when they turned up hand in hand to promote Another Day, which Shannen is producing and stars in. She had been so impressed with Julian's acting skills that she cast him as her best friend.
But Julian says his most important role is that of dad and he's deciding whether to raise Madison in the US or Australia, where his mother and sisters live.
'I grew up in Australia, but have lived here almost 14 years so the US is kind of home,' he says.