Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Viral Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima recently shared that he cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after being impressed by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement. Kojima took to Twitter on April 25 to express his admiration, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

The advertisement features Qualley executing a unique dance routine set to a pulsating bass track, reminiscent of the iconic Fat Boy Slim video, "Weapon of Choice," which showcased Christopher Walken's dance moves. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley's performance includes shaking, grimacing, and even firing lasers from her fingers, embodying a style that blends choreography with spontaneous movements.

In Death Stranding, Qualley plays the dual roles of Mama, whose full name is Målingen, and her twin sister, Lockne. Mama is a pivotal character, renowned as one of the top scientists in the United Cities of America, and together with her sister, she developed the Chiral Network, a crucial communications system for the game's world.

Kojima's tweet, which included a link to the Kenzo commercial, sparked a flurry of reactions from fans. One fan praised Kojima's visionary approach, saying, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously suggested, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."

Currently, Kojima is immersed in multiple high-profile projects. Death Stranding 2 is set to release on June 26, 2025, and he is also working on a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24. Additionally, Kojima is developing OD, an Xbox-published game he describes as a long-desired project, and a PlayStation exclusive action espionage game, continuing his tradition of innovative storytelling and game design.