Matthias Schweighöfer, born March 11, 1981, in Anklam, as the son of actors Gitta and Michael Schweighöfer, is one of the most promising actors of recent German cinema. He already started acting in school productions and made his movie debut in 1997 in Andreas Dresen"s "Raus aus der Haut" ("Changing Skins"). Schweighöfer then appeared in several TV productions such as the TV series "Dr. Stefan Frank" and "Siska", as well as in the critically acclaimed children’s film "Spuk aus der Gruft". He became known to a larger audience in Zoltan Spirandelli"s TV movie "Verbotenes Verlangen" (1999). Schweighöfer"s performance as a school boy who starts an affair with his teacher won him the promotional award at the 2000 German Film Awards.

After "Verbotenes Verlangen", Schweighöfer starred in Martin Eigler"s award-winning drama "Freunde" ("Trust Me") and in the fairytale-like TV movie "Küss mich, Frosch" ("Kiss Me Frog") that won an Emmy nomination in the US. In 2002, Schweighöfer finally made his breakthrough performance in the leading role in Dominik Graf"s Henry James adaptation "Die Freunde der Freunde" which won the Grimme award in the category TV movie. Schweighöfer further consolidated his reputation as one of German cinema’s up-and-coming stars with a striking supporting role in Gregor Schnitzler"s much noticed movie "Soloalbum" ("Solo Album"), a role that won Schweighöfer the "New Faces Award 2003", and with a role in another film by director Dominik Graf, the critically acclaimed TV movie "Kalter Frühling" (2004). Despite his success, Schweighöfer is still rather particular about choosing his parts: instead of going with safe box office hits, he turns the heads of cinephiles with films such as the psychological drama "Kammerflimmern" ("Off Beat"): The intense and sophisticated portray of a paramedic who falls in love with the pregnant girl friend of an accident victim won him the 2004 Bavarian film award.

Furthermore, Schweighöfer appeared in classic drama parts in Uwe Janson"s experimental, drama-like adaptations of "Baal" and "Lulu" while convincing move goers and critics alike as commune founder Rainer Langhans in the Uschi Obermaier biopic "Das wilde Leben" ("8 Miles High"). And in "Der Rote Baron" ("The Red Baron"), an adventure film about Baron Manfred von Richthofen that starts in cinemas at the end of 2007, Schweighöfer portrays another legendary figure of German contemporary history. But prior to that, Mathias Schweighöfer, playing a tourist in Morocco, had to face French cinema icon Jean-Hugues Anglade in the thriller "Fata Morgana" – a tough test for every young actor.

In the same year, he played the Nazi lieutenant Herber in "Operation Walküre" ("Valkyrie") alongside Tom Cruise.

In 2009, Matthias Schweighöfer starred in even five top-class productions – and likewise in strongly varying roles: In the family drama "Der Architekt" ("The Architect"), Schweighöfer played the son of a famous architect who is confronted with his father’s past life that is shrouded in mystery. In the TV movie "Mein Leben – Marcel Reich-Ranicki", based on the best-selling autobiography, he played the young literary critic Marcel Reich-Ranicki and was highly praised by critics for his performance. Furthermore, he played a sinister night train guard alongside Danny Glover and Leelee Sobieski in the international co-production "Night Train" (US/DE/RO), picked up his role of the photographer Moritz from the film "Keinohrhasen" ("Rabbit Without Ears") in the film’s sequel, the comedy "Zweiohrküken", directed by Til Schweiger, and made a convincing performance as the legendary Hanseatic League pirate Gödeke Michels in the adventure film "Zwölf Meter ohne Kopf" ("13 Paces Without a Head").

Following his starring roles in the comical road movie "Friendship!" and the religious satire "3faltig", Schweighöfer presented his debut as director in the Summer of 2011: "What a Man" tells the story of a mellow guy who is dumped by his girl friend and then decides to man-up with the help of his macho buddy. The same year, Schweighöfer also starred in Detlev Buck"s "Rubbeldiekatz", playing a struggling actor who is accidentally offered a female role – and takes it.