Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Unique Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima has revealed that he cast Margaret Qualley for the role of Mama in Death Stranding after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed fragrance advertisement for Kenzo. Kojima shared the viral commercial on X (formerly Twitter) on April 25, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

The advertisement features Qualley engaging in a unique dance routine set to a pulsating dance track reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which famously showcased Christopher Walken's dancing skills. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley's performance includes shaking, grimacing, and even firing lasers from her fingers, adding to the surreal and captivating nature of the piece.

In Death Stranding, Qualley plays Mama, also known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist within the United Cities of America. She, along with her twin sister Lockne (also portrayed by Qualley), is responsible for creating the Chiral Network, a critical communications system for the game's protagonist, Sam Porter Bridges.

You can watch the full, mesmerizing performance in the Kenzo fragrance advertisement below:

I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding. https://t.co/UDJa2NjbO6

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) April 25, 2025

Fans on social media were quick to react to Kojima's casting revelation. One fan praised Kojima's vision, commenting, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."

Currently, Hideo Kojima is immersed in several ambitious projects. Death Stranding 2 is set to release on June 26, 2025. Additionally, he is collaborating on a live-action Death Stranding film with A24 and working on OD, an Xbox-published game described by Kojima as "a game I have always wanted to make." He is also developing a PlayStation-exclusive action espionage project, further expanding his creative portfolio.