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. Sharing the impactful commercial via a tweet on April 25, Kojima stated, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."
The advertisement features Qualley engaging in a dynamic dance routine set to a pulsating bass track, reminiscent of the iconic Fat Boy Slim video "Weapon of Choice" featuring Christopher Walken. In the ad, Qualley exhibits a unique dance style involving shaking, grimacing, and even firing lasers from her fingers, which Kojima found compelling enough to cast her in his game.
Qualley portrays Mama — Målingen — in *Death Stranding*, a character who is one of the most innovative scientists in the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister Lockne, also portrayed by Qualley, she developed the Chiral Network, a crucial communication system for Bridges that enables instant data transfer.The Kenzo fragrance advertisement showcases Qualley's ability to perform an unusual yet choreographed dance where she appears to struggle with her movements, adding to the ad's quirky and entertaining nature. You can watch the full, captivating 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 on social media praised Kojima's decision, with one saying, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."
Currently, Kojima is actively 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, the Xbox-published game OD which he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make," and a new PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.
