James Hetfield is the frontman of Metallica, a band often referred to as the pioneers of thrash metal. Over the years, their sound has evolved time and time again, becoming one of the most successful rock bands of all time in the process. Despite being a part of one the world’s biggest bands, Hetfield has expressed desires to venture into acting.
Metallica are still going strong after four decades in the music industry. In 2023, they released their 11th studio album, 72 Seasons. With a massive world tour underway, it seems James Hetfield has still found time to explore his passion for acting. So, let’s break down the life and career of this heavy metal titan and delve into his new-found side hustle as an actor.
Who Is James Hetfield?
James Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963 in Downey, California, United States. In 1981, at just 18 years old, Hetfield formed Metallica with Danish drummer, Lars Ulrich. Following in the footsteps of bands like Black Sabbath and Motorhead, Metallica took heavy metal to new heights by upping the tempo and splicing their songs with odd time signatures and blast beats, quickly becoming known as thrash metal pioneers.
As they progressed, they eventually slowed down their tempo and attracted mainstream attention with their self-titled album in 1991, a record that would go on to be referred to as “The Black Album”. This album saw the band pour into the pop culture ether as they started to be played across mainstream radio stations around the world. To date, it is their most successful album, selling over 30 million copies worldwide.
Over the years, Metallica’s work ethic has never wavered and their loyal fan base has endured a legacy as iconic as their own. In 2022, the band connected to younger audiences when their track, Master of Puppets, was featured in Netflix’s groundbreaking series, Stranger Things. Although the heavy metal titans were already huge stars, this gave them another mainstream boost and pushed heavy metal into pop culture conversation.
Breaking Down His Experience in the Film Industry
Metallica are not only seen as one of the biggest rock bands of all time, they are often praised for their trendsetting and often daring endeavours. In 1999, the band brushed shoulders with Hollywood when they partnered with Oscar-nominated composer Michael Kamen (Lethal Weapon, X-Men) for their live album S&M. The album, which was also released on DVD, saw the band team up with Kamen and the San Francisco Symphony to merge together their most famous tracks with an orchestra. After the success of the album, many bands followed in their footsteps and released similar albums.
In the early 2000’s, Metallica were going through a tumultuous time when Hetfield checked into rehab and their bass player Jason Newsted quit the band. As they attempted to salvage their band, Metallica let a camera crew into their day-to-day lives while they wrote and produced their next album. Out of this, the acclaimed documentary Some Kind of Monster was birthed. Directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, the filmmakers behind Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, Some Kind of Monster was a raw and poignant look into Metallica during the most difficult time in their career. Little did Hetfield know, this would lead to a future opportunity in Hollywood.
After spending years as a documentarian, Joe Berlinger eventually forayed into feature films. In 2019, he took on the story of the notorious serial killer Ted Bundy with Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Starring alongside Zac Efron (who portrayed Bundy), Hetfield was asked by Berlinger to star as Bob Hayward, the police officer responsible for Ted Bundy’s first arrest. Although his scenes in the movie were brief, Hetfield brought forth an effortless nuance in an understated role. When appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Efron praised Hetfield for his performance, saying: “He comes on the set, and it’s one of more pivotal moments. It’s the moment that Ted actually got caught for the first time … he ran a stop sign, and James Hetfield plays the policeman that picks him up. James Hetfield, to his credit, he came in and absolutely nailed the part.”
Watch Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile on Netflix
Everything We Know About James Hetfield’s Latest Hollywood Role
Outside of his role in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, James Hetfield’s acting career has been limited to voice acting. He has lent his distinctive and commanding voice to episodes of shows like The Simpsons, Dave the Barbarian, American Dad!, and Skylanders Academy. However, in 2024, he will return to the silver screen in The Thicket.
The Thicket is a western crime drama that tells the story of a young boy who enlists a fierce bounty hunter named Reginald Jones to track down his sister when she is kidnapped by a violent killer known only as Cut Throat Bill. Hetfield will portray a sheriff in the movie alongside Peter Dinklage, who stars as Reginald, and Juliette Lewis, who stars as Cut Throat Bill. The Thicket will land in theaters on September 6, 2024. Want to read about another legendary musician who crossed over to Hollywood? Here’s why Eminem should have kept acting after 8 Mile.
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