Hideo Kojima has revealed that he cast Margaret Qualley for the role of Mama in Death Stranding after being inspired by her performance in a Spike Jonze fragrance advertisement for Kenzo.
On April 25, Kojima shared the viral commercial on Twitter, stating: "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding." The advertisement features Qualley dancing energetically to a bass-heavy track, reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which starred Christopher Walken.
In *Death Stranding*, Qualley plays the character Mama, officially known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist within the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister, Lockne, also portrayed by Qualley, she developed the Chiral Network, a crucial communications system for Bridges that enables instant data transfer.The Kenzo fragrance ad showcases Qualley in a unique and choreographed dance routine where she exhibits a range of movements, from shaking and grimacing to firing lasers from her fingers. At times, she appears to struggle to control her limbs, adding to the ad's quirky and captivating nature. You can view the full, mesmerizing performance 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 reacted enthusiastically to Kojima's tweet. One fan praised him, saying, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."
Currently, Kojima is deeply involved in multiple projects, including Death Stranding 2, set to release on June 26, 2025, a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24, and OD, an Xbox-published game he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he is working on a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.
