Legendary Metallica frontman James Hetfield makes a cameo appearance in the new Western thriller The Thicket, currently in theaters in the United States. Yet despite his big-screen foray alongside Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage, Hetfield isn’t exactly sold on acting.
On a recent episode of The Metallica Report podcast, Hetfield opened up about his experience in The Thicket. The musician plays a lawman in the Peter Dinklage-produced film, but he says the film venture may be one of his last. “I’m not interested in acting at all”he confessed.
A tailor-made role, but a passion missing
Hetfield explains that it was Peter Dinklage who personally contacted him to offer him this role: “Peter Dinklage reached out to me through management, just to say, ‘Hey, I have a role for you in a project we’re doing. I was just thinking about you.’ I said, ‘OK, cool.’”
While this personalized approach convinced him to participate in the project, Hetfield emphasizes that he is not actively seeking film roles. He also clarified that he does not see himself auditioning for other projects. “I’ve done this before, and it’s really not my thing.”he added, referring to his rare previous appearances, such as in the 2019 Ted Bundy biopic, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.
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A grueling shoot in the Canadian cold
The musician shared some anecdotes about the filming of The Thicket, which took place in difficult weather conditions in Canada. “I was in a trailer, it was probably minus 10 degrees outside, near Calgary. I was wearing period clothing, from the 1800s. Wool is great, but shoes are not so much.”he joked.
However, what seems to have left the biggest impression on him was the endless wait on set. “They would say to me, ‘You’re shooting today.’ And at the end of the day, ‘Oh, we didn’t have time to shoot you today.’ I said to my assistant Ray, ‘Next time I’m asked to do something like that, remind me to say no.’”
Music above all
Despite these frustrations related to filming, Hetfield acknowledges that the end result of The Thicket is satisfying. However, he emphasizes that the process of creating music seems much more rewarding and dynamic to him. “In music, there is no waiting. I have an idea, I write it down right away. Practicing a line of dialogue and waiting five days before saying it, it drives me crazy.”
In conclusion, if James Hetfield seems to have enjoyed the cinematic adventure in The Thicket, it is clear that his first passion remains music. Metallica, who have just finished a tour in North America, will soon be back on the road with a series of concerts in Mexico starting on September 20.
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