Hideo Kojima has disclosed that he cast Margaret Qualley in the role of Mama in Death Stranding after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement. In a tweet on April 25, Kojima shared the viral commercial, 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 the style seen in Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which starred Christopher Walken.
In *Death Stranding*, Qualley portrays Mama, also known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist working for Bridges in the United Cities of America. Along with her twin sister, Lockne, whom Qualley also plays, she developed the Chiral Network, a pivotal communications system that enables instant data transfer for Bridges.The Kenzo fragrance ad showcases Qualley in a unique dance routine, characterized by shaking, grimacing, and spasmodic movements, including a segment where she appears to fire lasers from her fingers. Another part of the performance shows her dancing while seemingly struggling to control her limbs. You can view the full, quirky, and highly engaging video 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 were quick to respond to Kojima's revelation. One fan praised, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."
Currently, Kojima is immersed in several projects. Death Stranding 2 is set to release on June 26, 2025, and he's also working on a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24. Additionally, he's developing OD, an Xbox-published game he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make," and a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.
