Hideo Kojima Cast Margaret Qualley in Death Stranding After Seeing Her Dance in This Wonderfully Bizarre Perfume Ad

Hideo Kojima has revealed 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. Kojima shared the viral commercial on Twitter on April 25, 2025, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

The advertisement features Qualley dancing to a bass-heavy track, reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which famously showcased Christopher Walken's dance moves. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley delivers a unique and choreographed dance, involving shakes, grimaces, and even firing lasers from her fingers, capturing the attention of viewers and Kojima alike.

In Death Stranding, Qualley plays Mama — Målingen — a pivotal character and one of the most innovative scientists in the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister Lockne, also portrayed by Qualley, she is responsible for creating the Chiral Network, a vital communications system developed by Bridges that enables instant data transfer.

You can view the full, unusual, and entertaining 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 Twitter responded enthusiastically to Kojima's revelation. One fan praised him as a visionary, while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."

Currently, Kojima is engaged 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 that Kojima describes as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he is working on a PlayStation-exclusive action espionage project.