His father, Jean-Pierre, was a jazz musician and his mother, Maria Cecília, was a poet who committed suicide when Matheus was only three months old.

As a result, Matheus lived with his paternal grandparents’ early in his life between their farm in Atibaia and their beach house in Ubatuba.

In 2018, Matheus staged the monologue Concerto do Desejo (English: Concert of Desire), produced by him based on the poems written by his mother.

Following an invitation from a friend, he studied for a year under director Antunes Filho at the School of Dramatic Arts at USP, unbeknownst of his parents, who didn't want him to pursue an artistic career.

He has twice won the Best Actor award in the Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro, for his roles in Midnight (1998) in 2000 and O Auto da Compadecida (2000) in 2001.