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

Hideo Kojima has shared a fascinating insight into his casting process, revealing that he chose actress Margaret Qualley for the role of Mama in Death Stranding after watching a fragrance commercial directed by Spike Jonze.

In a tweet posted on April 25, Kojima shared the now-viral ad and wrote: “I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding.”

The advertisement features Qualley performing an eccentric, choreographed dance set to a deep electronic beat—drawing comparisons to Fat Boy Slim’s iconic Weapon of Choice video, which famously starred Christopher Walken floating through a hotel lobby.

Qualley portrays Mama—also known as Målingen—in Kojima Productions’ critically acclaimed title Death Stranding. As one of the leading scientific minds within the United Cities of America, she plays a pivotal role in developing advanced technologies. Alongside her twin sister Lockne—also portrayed by Qualley—she co-created the Chiral Network, the revolutionary communication system that enables real-time data transfer across the game's fractured world.

In the Kenzo fragrance ad, Qualley delivers a surreal and physically expressive performance, complete with exaggerated movements, facial contortions, and even digital effects that simulate laser beams shooting from her fingertips. In another segment, she appears to struggle with controlling her limbs, adding to the dreamlike tone of the piece. The full video can be seen 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 responded enthusiastically to the revelation, with one writing: “You are a visionary, Kojima-san.” Another joked: “I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too.”

Currently, Kojima is deeply involved in the development of Death Stranding 2, scheduled for release on June 26, 2025. He is also collaborating on a live-action Death Stranding film with A24, an Xbox-published title called OD, which he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make," and a yet-untitled action espionage project exclusive to PlayStation.