James Hetfield children: All about his family as Metallica frontman files for divorce from wife Francesca

Metallica songwriter James Hetfield and his wife Francesca recently decided to call it quits after 25 years of marriage.

TMZ reported that Hetfield and Francesca filed for divorce earlier this year without revealing it to the public.

James Hetfield and Francesca tied the knot in August 1997, and always preferred to keep their relationship away from the limelight. While the news of their split is now out in the media, neither of them has commented on the separation yet.

Hetfield and Francesca are parents to three children – Cali, Castor, and Marcella. The exact ages of their kids remain unknown. While Hetfield has kept his relationship with Francesca private over the years, he has opened up about how he failed to prioritize family over work.

“When I turned 50, there was a split in the road. I’m thinking, ‘I’m this rocker dude who’s got to go out blazing. I’m an artist, I’m a struggling artist. I need to struggle, I have to struggle. Maybe I have to fall further, maybe the elevator has to go further down. I need to do some more research. I need to show my fans that I really care about them more than anything else.’ I forgot about the other split – my family.”

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Francesca is a popular costume designer and has been a part of the fashion industry for a long time. Details about her personal life are currently not available.

Hetfield and Francesca first met when the latter participated in Metallica’s Wherever We May Tour. Francesca has been spotted with Hetfield and the band on various tours.

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James Hetfield’s struggles with addiction and other issues

James Hetfield fought a long battle with addiction (Image via Didier Messens/Getty Images)

While speaking on NPR’s Fresh Air, James Hetfield revealed that his wife helped him deal with his anger issues. He stated that his destructive tendencies proved to be an embarrassment for him as well as Francesca.

The famous singer also fought an addiction battle and entered a rehab program in 2001. He went into rehab again in 2019 after struggling with alcohol addiction. Following his rehab, he made his first public appearance at the Petersen Automotive Museum reception in January 2020.

Hetfield is mostly known as the co-founder of Metallica and has been a recipient of nine Grammy Awards. He has released 24 singles, four extended plays, ten studio albums, and three live albums.

He was previously a member of Leather Charm, which disbanded after the exit of one of the lead members, and Hetfield joined drummer Lars Ulrich on Metallica.