Behind the Scenes: Leonardo DiCaprio's Jaw-Dropping Transformation for 'Killers of the Flower Moon'

Leonardo DiCaprio. GOL/Capital Pictures / MEGA

During the filming of Killers of the Flower Moon, Leonardo DiCaprio opted for additional protection for his spanking scene with Robert De Niro by wearing padding on his rear end. Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, in an interview with Insider, revealed that despite the padding, it was clear that De Niro was authentically delivering the blows.

Prieto, aged 57, praised DiCaprio for his willingness to participate in a variety of activities and stated that he would go to any lengths for the film.

Martin Scorsese's adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon is based on David Grann's critically acclaimed nonfiction book from 2017. The book delves into the horrifying murders of indigenous individuals in Osage County, Oklahoma in the 1920s. DiCaprio takes on the role of Ernest Burkhart, the nephew of businessman William Hale (played by De Niro), who devises a cunning plot to murder a wealthy Osage family following the discovery of oil on their land.

The affluent family is coincidentally connected to Mollie Kyle (played by Lily Gladstone), who is Ernest's wife. Along with narrating the formation of the FBI and its inquiry into the Osage Nation killings, the movie also delves into Ernest and Mollie's romantic tale.

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Ernest, unfortunately, mishandled a portion of his uncle's plan and was consequently subjected to the penalty of being spanked with a paddle. This spanking incident occurs approximately midway through the movie, which has a considerable duration of 3 hours and 26 minutes. Prieto expressed astonishment upon discovering that the paddling scene had been included in the film, as it was not referenced in Grann's novel.

"I believe the original script did not feature that particular scene," Prieto disclosed. "It was an unexpected addition, and it possesses a startling quality within the film."

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While the film was in production, the current Osage Nation Chief Standing Bear consulted on the film to make sure his people’s story was accurately told.

Geoffrey Standing Bear spoke about the enduring impact of the suffering experienced by his people during a Flower Moon press conference in May 2023. He expressed gratitude towards Marty Scorsese and his team for restoring trust and reassured that this trust would not be violated.

In September 2023, Scorsese, aged 80, discussed his intention to alter the film's perspective, focusing more on the relationship between Ernest and Mollie rather than solely on the early days of the FBI.

Scorsese explained to Time that he came to a realization that his movie was predominantly centered around white males. This approach of observing from an external perspective troubled him. As a result of this realization, he made the decision to shift the focus onto Ernest and Mollie. According to Scorsese, this allowed Gladstone, aged 37, to showcase her exceptional talent, describing her as having a combination of fierceness and serenity, all encompassed within her intelligent presence that is reflected in her eyes.