Leonardo DiCaprio, known for his dedication to roles, faced a unique challenge while filming Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood": wielding a flamethrower. The scene, featuring his character Rick Dalton incinerating a group of antagonists, required DiCaprio to overcome his apprehension about using the dangerous device.

In the film, Rick Dalton, a fading actor, confronts members of the Manson Family at his home. In a climactic moment of self-defense, Dalton retrieves a World War II-era flamethrower from his garage and unleashes a torrent of fire upon the intruders. This scene is a callback to Dalton's earlier role in a war film, adding a layer of meta-narrative to the fictional character.

According to Complex, stunt coordinator Robert Alonzo revealed in an interview that DiCaprio was initially uneasy about filming the flamethrower sequence for the fictional film, "The 14 Fists of McCluskey," within "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". Alonzo stated that DiCaprio was concerned about potentially harming someone. Alonzo understood the psychological difficulty of holding a flame to stunt performers for an extended period, even with protective gear.

To ease DiCaprio's concerns, Alonzo demonstrated the safety measures by setting himself on fire. This display of confidence and safety protocols helped reassure DiCaprio, who then applauded Alonzo's bravery. This allowed the actor to get into the right mindset for filming the scene.

However, a mishap occurred during the filming of the Nazi flamethrower scene, as stuntman Mark Wagner revealed. Wagner, in an interview with Corridor Crew, explained that the stunt involved him and other stuntmen wearing protective hoodies and being briefly set on fire before the flames were extinguished. Due to DiCaprio's nerves, he paused too long on Wagner and another crew member, causing Wagner to be set on fire.

Despite the inherent risks, the flamethrower scene has become iconic, celebrated for its blend of dark humor and shocking violence, a signature of Tarantino's filmmaking. The scene is also a testament to the dedication and bravery of the stunt performers who made it possible.