Metallica’s James Hetfield and his stage-shaking bandmates, Lars Ulrich, Robert Trujillo, and Kirk Hammett, recently attended a screening of a new documentary exploring the iconic band’s impact on their fans.
The documentary, Metallica Saved My Life, is set to come out on April 18th this year.
Hetfield, 61, was previously married to Francesca Hetfield until their sudden divorce in 2022, surprising millions of fans worldwide. Learn the former couple’s history and the reason behind their unraveled marriage.
Image source: Bombfell
Who Is Francesca Hetfield?
Francesca Tomasi was born on January 27, 1970. She grew up in Rosario, a major city in Argentina. Aside from that, little is known about her family or childhood.
Her family moved to Colorado when she was a teen. She attended Overland High School and later pursued a degree at the University of South Florida.
How Did James Hetfield Meet Francesca?
James reportedly met Francesca in 1992, when the latter worked as the band’s costume designer. She designed James’ and his bandmate’s outfits at Metallica’s “Whenever We May Roam” tour, which ran through 1993.
Despite the clamor of the stage, the couple’s relationship blossomed surprisingly quietly and away from the public’s prying eyes. James and Francesca married five years later in 1997 and shared three children.
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Why Did Francesca and James Hetfield Get a Divorce?
Francesca and James’s split was caused by a combination of factors, including the Metallica frontman’s long-time struggle with his mental health and substance use.
Rumors of the couple’s split started to swirl a few years after the Hetfield family moved from San Francisco to Colorado in 2016.
“My family’s going to go away because of the behaviors that I brought home from the road,” James said on the Joe Rogan Podcast, expressing his frustrations.
Image source: Google
Unfortunately, the couple couldn’t survive the growing chasm in their marriage and filed for a divorce in 2022.
Breaking her silence, Francesca released an official statement through TMZ, lamenting how “after 30 years of ups and downs but always with a lot of love,” their marriage has “come to this.”
Final Thoughts
Marriage doesn’t always end happily. It doesn’t matter whether you’re married to one of the most iconic rock stars in history. But while it’s heartbreaking, we can only hope that Francesca and James find happiness in the new chapter of their lives.
Featured image source: Google
