After two decades and multiple storms Metallica frontman James Hetfield and wife Francesca file for

Publish date: 2024-05-22

EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO: After 25 years of marriage, Metallica frontman James Hetfield has filed for divorce from his wife Francesca. The divorce was filed in Colorado earlier this year, according to sources close to the former couple told TMZ. The couple tied the knot in the year 1997.

The former couple chose to keep the news private, thus the legal filing was never made public. Insiders reported that the couple is still in touch as they co-parent their three kids, son Castor, 18 and daughters Cali, 20, and Marcella, 16. According to reports, the musician's home base was in Vail, Colorado, which is also Francesca's hometown. 

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Who is Francesca Hetfield?

Francesca Hetfield is a costume designer from the United States. She was born on January 27, 1970, in the Argentina province of Rosario. She began working as a waitress at a bar near her home after graduating from high school and did not attend college for further education. At the age of 23, she established a career in the costume design industry.

James Hetfield and Francesca

James and Francesca first met in 1992 and married in 1997. They have two daughters and one son. Numerous sources reported that she met her husband James while working as a designer for Metallica, his heavy metal band. Over the years, James has credited his wife with guiding him through difficult times, including his anger management issues. 

James Hetfield is said to have been sober since 2002. He previously stated that Francesca assisted him in dealing with his personal issues in a "constructive" manner. In 2005, the performer told NPR that his wife assisted him in "maturing" when he went "straight-edge" with his addiction and anger issues.

The musician revealed on 'The Joe Rogan Experience' in 2016 that he checked into rehab nearly two decades ago out of fear of losing his family, "Fear was a big motivator in that for me. Losing my family, that was the thing that scared me so much. That was the bottom I hit, that my family is going to go away because of my behaviors that I brought home from the road." He added, "I got kicked out of my house by my wife; I was living on my own somewhere. I did not want that... [My wife] did the right thing — she kicked my a** right out of the house and that scared the sh*t out of me. She said, 'Hey, you're not just going to the therapist now and talking about this. You've got to go somewhere and sort this sh*t out.' So that's what I did."

Francesca is Hetfield's first wife who would occasionally travel with him when he was on tour. The couple is yet to announce their divorce publicly. 

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