Ulrich Matthes
Biography
Ulrich Matthes was born on 9 May 1959 in West Berlin, West Germany. He studied acting in the early 1980s in Berlin under Else Bongers while studying German and English with the intention of becoming a teacher, taking private acting lessons alongside his university work. His first professional engagement was at the Vereinigte Bühnen in Krefeld, where he performed the title role in "Prinz Friedrich von Homburg". He later appeared at the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus, the Bavarian State Theatre, the Munich Studio Theater and the Schaubühne. Since the 2004/2005 season he has been a
Career overview
Ulrich Matthes was born on 9 May 1959 in West Berlin, West Germany. He attended the Evangelisches Gymnasium zum Grauen Kloster and, in the early 1980s, pursued acting studies in Berlin under the guidance of Else Bongers. While studying German and English with an initial aim of becoming a teacher, he also took private acting lessons. His first professional engagement was at the Vereinigte Bühnen in Krefeld, where he performed the title role in Prinz Friedrich von Homburg.
Matthes subsequently worked at several prominent German theatres, including the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus, the Bavarian State Theatre, the Munich Studio Theater and the Schaubühne. Since the 2004/2005 season he has been a member of the ensemble at the Deutsches Theater in Berlin, establishing a long‑term presence on the city’s stage. In addition to his extensive stage career, he has amassed a substantial screen portfolio, with 99 credited film and television appearances recorded in major databases. Among his film roles, he portrayed Father Henri Kremer, a Catholic priest imprisoned at Dachau, in the 2004 movie The Ninth Day. Matthes is also known by the variants Uli Matthes and Ulli Matthes.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
105 titles- Athos 2643 (2027) as Barthel
- 23 000 Lives (2026) as Mr. Gans
- Visitation (2026)
- Echo of Tomorrow's War (2026) as Stuber
- Milk Teeth (2024) as Pesolt
- Kunduz (2024) as Grewe
- Jupiter (2023) as Guru
- 2 Friends (2023) as Malte Klingsor
- Winterwalzer (2023) as Albert Gottwald
- Angela Merkel - Im Lauf der Zeit (2022) as Self
- Till (2022)
- Munich - The Edge of War (2021) as Adolf Hitler
- The Story of My Wife (2021) as Psychiatrist
- Freunde (2021) as Malte Klingsor
- Borrowed White (2021) as Roland
- O, Collecting Eggs Despite the Times (2021) as Schönwetter (voice)
- After Corona Club (2020) as Self
- Der Menschenfeind (2020) as Alceste
- Playing God (2020) as Bischof Thiel
- A Hidden Life (2019) as Lorenz Schwaninger
- Jupiter (2019)
- Troubled Times (2019)
- Das Boot (2018) as Wilhelm Hoffmann
- Talk aus Berlin (2018) as Self
- Abendshow (2017) as Self
- Die Puppenspieler (2017) as Kardinal Borgia
- Geschichte einer Liebe – Freya (2017) as Helmuth James von Moltke
- Narration (2017)
- Fremder Feind (2017) as Arnold
- Gift (2017) as Matteo Kälin
- Exiled (2016) as Ulrihs
- The Missing Woman (2016) as Bruno
- Die vierte Gewalt (2016) as Verleger Winter
- Das Literarische Quartett (2015) as Self
- Die Geschichte eines Abends (2015) as Self
- Open the Wall (2014) as Hartmut Kummer
- Stadt, Rad, Hund (2013) as Self
- The Notebook (2013) as Vater
- Square (2012) as Self
- Cracks in the Shell (2012) as Ben Kästner
- Calm at Sea (2012) as Ernst Jünger
- About Jenny Holzer (2011) as Narrator
- Faust Sonnengesang (2011) as (voice)
- Museums-Check mit Markus Brock (2010) as Self
- Neue Vahr Süd (2010) as Hauptmann und Kompaniechef
- Hidden Cities (2010)
- Europas Erbe - Die großen Dramatiker (2008) as Self
- November Child (2008) as Robert
- Inas Nacht (2007) as Self
- ANNE WILL (2007)
- Dickes B (2007) as Self
- Vineta (2006) as Dr. Leonhard
- Who was Kafka? (2006) as Narrator (voice)
- Geheimes Deutschland (2006) as (voice)
- Thadeusz (2005) as self
- Hitlers letzte Tage - Der Film "Der Untergang" (2005) as Self
- Downfall (2004) as Joseph Goebbels
- Leute am Donnerstag (2004) as himself
- The Ninth Day (2004) as Abbé Henri Kremer
- Traffic Affairs (2004) as Peter
- ZIBB (2003) as Self
- West.art am Sonntag (2003) as Self
- Mörderherz (2002) as Dr. Graf
- SOKO Leipzig (2001) as Victor Hauptmann
- Hart aber fair (2001) as Self
- Der Hahn ist tot (2000) as Kommissar Steiner
- Beckmann (1999) as Self
- Aimée & Jaguar (1999) as Eckert (SS)
- Framed (1999) as Beck
- Abgehauen (1998) as Eberhard Esche
- Rider of the Flames (1998) as Isaac von Sinclair
- Leute heute (1997) as Self
- Dead Pool (1997) as Jan-Carl Raspe
- Winter Sleepers (1997) as René
- Der Mörder und sein Kind (1995) as Rainer Dreyer
- Nikolaikirche (1995) as Alexander Bacher
- Wolffs Revier (1992) as Danzer
- Herr Ober! (1992) as TV showmaster
- ZDF-Mittagsmagazin (1989) as Self
- Nachtcafé (1987) as Self
- Professor Bernhardi (1987) as Dr. Oskar Bernhardi
- Goldene Kamera (1984) as Self
- A Case For Two (1981) as Michael Strobel
- NDR Talk Show (1979) as Self
- Bavarian Film Awards (1979) as Self
- The Old Fox (1977) as Andreas Gobel
- Kölner Treff (1976) as Self
- 3 nach 9 (1974) as Self
- Derrick (1974) as Ulrich Huberti
- Derrick (1974) as Holger Küster
- Derrick (1974) as Robert Lohmann
- Derrick (1974) as Harald Breuer
- Artur, Peter und der Eskimo (1973) as Peter
- Polizeiruf 110 (1971) as Psychologist
- Polizeiruf 110 (1971) as Tanjas Partner
- Besuch der Tochter (1971) as Thomas
- Scene of the Crime (1970) as Günther Kremer
- Scene of the Crime (1970) as Richard Harloff
- An einem Tag im September (1969) as Max
- aspekte (1965) as Self
- Grimme Award (1964) as Self
- German Film Award (1951) as Self
- Im Herzen der Gewalt
- Ulrich Matthes - Leidenschaft und Haltung as Self
- Kinder der Sonne as Pawel Fjodorowitsch Protassow
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Ulrich Matthes best known for?
Ulrich Matthes is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including 23 000 Lives (2026), Echo of Tomorrow's War (2026), Munich - The Edge of War (2021), A Hidden Life (2019).
When and where was Ulrich Matthes born?
Ulrich Matthes was born on May 9, 1959 in West Berlin, West Germany.
How many credits does Ulrich Matthes have?
Ulrich Matthes has accumulated over 105 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1951 to 2027.
What is Ulrich Matthes's background in cinema and television?
Ulrich Matthes was born on 9 May 1959 in West Berlin, West Germany. He studied acting in the early 1980s in Berlin under Else Bongers while studying German and English with the intention of becoming a teacher, taking private acting lessons alongside his university work. His first professional engagement was at the Vere...