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Ulrich Matthes

Ulrich Matthes

Actor · Born May 9, 1959 (67) · West Berlin, West Germany

Ulrich Matthes was born in Berlin. He studied acting in the early 1980's in Berlin under Else Bongers. Ulrich Matthes studied German and English, because he really wanted to become a teacher, so he also took private acting lessons during his studies. His first engagement brought him to the Vereinigte Bühnen in Krefeld, where he played the title role in "Prinz Friedrich von Homburg". Later he came to Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus, the Bavarian State Theatre, the Munich Studio Theater and the Schaubühne place. Since the 2004/2005 season, he is member of the ensemble at Deutsches Theater in Berlin. In the 2004 movieThe Ninth Day, he plays Fr. Henri Kremer, a Catholic priest imprisoned at Dachau. In 2005 he was voted "Actor of the Year" by 'Theater heute' magazine for his performance in Edward Albees' "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". Ulrich Matthes has also dubbed many American actors such as Kenneth Braga, Malcom McDowell, Charlie Sheen, Ralph Fiennes, and Richard Thomas. Description above from the Wikia site Hitler Parody, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 9, 1959 (67)
From
West Berlin, West Germany
Works as
Actor
Titles
16 on Motif · 69 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 30% in 30 days

What are Ulrich Matthes' films like?

Across their 11 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Society.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Motif score: 59th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Motif score: 91st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
35%
Society
20%
Power
16%
Self
12%
Survival
9%
Bonds
8%
Sacrifice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFaith2 titles, browse their movies with this themePower2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 3 · Dark 8

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 10 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 1 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 4

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 1 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 6

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 4

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Mentor
3 of 6
Herald
1 of 6
Hero
1 of 6
Shadow
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Dread
5
Melancholic
6
Contemplative
5
Hopeful
2
Other
4

How their films linger

Thought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet3
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ulrich Matthes' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 16 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ulrich Matthes' titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

69 credits, 16 with a Motif page; 31 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Athos 2643 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2027)

    as Barthel

  • Visitation (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • Echo of Tomorrow's War (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2026)

    as Stuber

  • 23 000 Lives(2026)

    as Mr. Gans

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Milk Teeth(2024)

    as Pesolt

    Motif score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Kunduz (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2024)

    as Grewe

  • Winterwalzer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)

    as Albert Gottwald

  • 2 Friends (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2023)

    as Malte Klingsor

  • Jupiter(2023)

    as Guru

    Motif score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Till (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Munich: The Edge of War(2021)

    as Adolf Hitler

    Motif score: 76th percentile of all films

  • O, Collecting Eggs Despite the Times (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    as Schönwetter (voice)

  • Borrowed White (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    as Roland

  • Freunde (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    as Malte Klingsor

  • The Story of My Wife(2021)

    as Psychiatrist

    Motif score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Playing God (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2020)

    as Bischof Thiel

  • Der Menschenfeind (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2020)

    as Alceste

  • Troubled Times (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • A Hidden Life(2019)

    as Lorenz Schwaninger

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Jupiter (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Actor

  • Das Boot(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Wilhelm Hoffmann

    Motif score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Die Puppenspieler (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 2 episodes · as Kardinal Borgia

  • Fremder Feind (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    as Arnold

  • Narration (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    Actor

  • Gift (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    as Matteo Kälin

  • Geschichte einer Liebe – Freya (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2017)

    as Helmuth James von Moltke

  • Die vierte Gewalt (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Verleger Winter

  • The Missing Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Bruno

  • Exiled (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    as Ulrihs

  • Bornholmer Straße(2014)

    as Hartmut Kummer

    Motif score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Notebook(2013)

    as Vater

    Motif score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Calm at Sea(2011)

    as Ernst Jünger

    Motif score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Cracks in the Shell (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Ben Kästner

  • Faust Sonnengesang (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    as (voice)

  • About Jenny Holzer (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    as Narrator

  • Neue Vahr Süd (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    as Hauptmann und Kompaniechef

  • Hidden Cities (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

    Actor

  • November Child (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    as Robert

  • ANNE WILL (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Geheimes Deutschland (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    as (voice)

  • Vineta (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    as Dr. Leonhard

  • Who was Kafka? (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Ninth Day(2004)

    as Abbé Henri Kremer

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Downfall(2004)

    as Joseph Goebbels

    Motif score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Traffic Affairs (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2004)

    as Peter

  • Mörderherz(2002)

    as Dr. Graf

    Motif score: 20th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • SOKO Leipzig (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Victor Hauptmann

  • Der Hahn ist tot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    as Kommissar Steiner

  • Framed (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    as Beck

  • Aimee & Jaguar(1999)

    as Eckert (SS)

    Motif score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Abgehauen (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Eberhard Esche

  • Rider of the Flames (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1998)

    as Isaac von Sinclair

  • Winter Sleepers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    as René

  • Dead Pool (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jan-Carl Raspe

  • Nikolaikirche (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    as Alexander Bacher

  • Der Mörder und sein Kind (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    as Rainer Dreyer

  • Wolffs Revier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · as Danzer

  • Herr Ober! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    as TV showmaster

  • Professor Bernhardi (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1987)

    as Dr. Oskar Bernhardi

  • A Case For Two (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Strobel

  • The Old Fox (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Andreas Gobel

  • Derrick (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Harald Breuer · as Holger Küster · as Robert Lohmann · as Ulrich Huberti

  • Artur, Peter und der Eskimo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

    as Peter

  • Police Call 110(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Psychologist · as Tanjas Partner

    Motif score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Besuch der Tochter (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1971)

    as Thomas

  • Tatort(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Günther Kremer · as Richard Harloff

    Motif score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • An einem Tag im September (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

    as Max

  • Im Herzen der Gewalt (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Kinder der Sonne (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Pawel Fjodorowitsch Protassow

Career shape

Star power in the 95th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 69 titles, 66 of them dated from 1969 to 2026; peak year 2003.

Biggest box office

Downfall (2004)

$92M worldwide

Highest rated

Downfall (2004)

Motif 99th

Most popular right now

A Hidden Life (2019)

Film career

19692026

Peak 2003 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 2 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1997Screen debut· Winter Sleepers
  • 1997First top-billed film· Winter Sleepers

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting69 of 69: 69 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Motif score72nd

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s6 · acting1980s2 · acting1990s10 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s20 · acting2020s16 · acting

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 17% of 12 roles
9712

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Ulrich Matthes' films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 74th percentile, the median of all 13; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 70th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

70thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Motif score across 16 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 16 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

23 000 Lives (2026)

91st percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Downfall (2004)

Motif 99th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 80/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 84, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Ulrich Matthes' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 Motif titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 51 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 31
Profanity3 titlesmedian 40 · moderateMedian of all films: 35
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 55 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 62 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Ulrich Matthes work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ulrich Matthes' Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; August Diehl shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers