Ulrich Matthes, born on May 9th, 1959 in Berlin to the Tagesspiegel editor Günter Matthes; he studied German and English at the Freie Universität of Berlin. Following an audition for Martin Held, he decided to enter the acting program, and took private lessons from Else Bongers. Beginning in 1985, he performed at the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus – where he played four major roles within twelve months; thereafter, he was at the Bavarian Staatsschauspiel and Münchener Kammerspiele, then went to Berlin in 1992 to perform at Schaubühne and at Deutsches Theater. He was distinguished as actor of the year 1987 by "Theater Heute".

Having made his TV debut in 1970 as a child in "Die Wesenacks", he went on to play a Stasi-Captain in "Nicolaikirche" (1995), and the terrorist Jan-Carl Raspe in "Todesspiel" (1997). Notable film roles for the cinema followed, including the amnesiac cinema demonstator in Tom Tykwer"s "Winterschläfer" ("Wintersleepers" 1997), the obnoxious seducer in Nina Grosses "Feuerreiter" ("Fire Rider" 1998), for which Matthes was awarded the Bavarian Film Prize; the heretical Brecht-supporter in "Abschied" ("The Farewell" 2000) and Joseph Goebbels in "Der Untergang" ("Downfall" 2004).

For his role as a priest released from the Dachau concentration camp in Volker Schlöndorffs "Der Neunte Tag" ("The Ninth Day" 2004) Ulrich Matthes was moninated for the German as well as for the European Film Prize. Working extensively for the theatre Ulrich Matthes is not often seen on the screen. Another important role he plays in Christian Schwochows drama "Novemberkind" ("November Child", 2008).