If you’re still not over the brown bear controversy either, you’re not alone. But here we are anyway.
James Hetfield has just added another wild animal moment to his long and slightly chaotic résumé.
The Metallica frontman, 62, recently proposed to his girlfriend, Adriana Gillett, in a setting that feels completely on brand: underwater, surrounded by whale sharks.
According to Gillett, the proposal happened on Friday, March 13, 2024, during a birthday scuba diving trip.
The couple were swimming alongside whale sharks — the largest fish in the ocean and famously gentle creatures — when Hetfield decided it was the perfect time to ask the big question.
Rather than attempt a regulator-muffled speech, Hetfield came prepared.
Mid-dive, he held up a laminated handwritten note that read: “Adriana Gillett, will you marry me?”
Gillett’s response was an enthusiastic thumbs-up, delivered underwater while holding the ring box.
She later shared photos of the moment on Instagram, calling it “the most unique, special, and romantic proposal a Pisces could ever imagine.” Her caption sealed it: “In a sea full of fish, we caught each other.”
Gillett, a journalist-turned-fashion designer, has been linked with Hetfield since early 2023.
The engagement marks a major personal milestone for the singer following his 2022 divorce from his wife of 25 years, Francesca Hetfield.
And while Friday the 13th is usually associated with horror films and bad luck, Hetfield — who has always leaned into darker aesthetics — appears to have reclaimed the date for something far more sentimental.
Also, objectively, it’s a lot more memorable than a restaurant proposal.
The whale shark engagement might sound unusual, but longtime fans know Hetfield’s life has been full of animal-related side quests.
For starters, he’s a beekeeper. Hetfield maintains several hives at his Colorado property and has spoken about the zen-like focus required to tend to bees.
Of course, the hobby isn’t always peaceful — he once recounted being stung around 20 times on the ankle after a tiny gap in his bee suit exposed some skin.
He’s also taken up birdwatching in recent years, using a mobile app to identify the different species visiting his porch feeders.
The hobby, however, reportedly becomes a lot harder once local bears wake from hibernation and start destroying the feeders.
Then there’s the cougar story. In 2019, Vancouver resident Denise Gallant used the Metallica song ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ to scare off a cougar that had been stalking her and her dog.
When Hetfield heard about the story, he personally called Gallant to talk about the encounter and later sent her a selfie to prove it was actually him.
And of course, longtime fans will remember the unofficial cat mascot at Metallica’s headquarters — affectionately dubbed “Riff” or “Tabs” — which often appeared in studio photos with the singer.
Not all of Hetfield’s animal headlines have been quite so wholesome.
In 2014, the singer sparked major backlash when he signed on to narrate the History Channel series The Hunt, which followed brown bear hunting in Alaska.
The announcement triggered a viral petition calling for Metallica to be removed from the lineup at the Glastonbury Festival that year.
The band ultimately still played the festival — but the debate around Hetfield’s hunting hobby has lingered ever since.
Still, between beehives, bird feeders, cougars and now whale sharks, one thing is clear: Hetfield’s relationship with the animal kingdom has always been a little unpredictable.
At least this time, nobody got chased, stung, or cancelled — just engaged.
