Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Unique Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima revealed that he cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after being inspired by her performance in a Spike Jonze fragrance advertisement for Kenzo. Kojima shared the viral commercial on X (formerly Twitter) on April 25, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

The advertisement features Qualley in a captivating dance routine set to a bass-heavy track, reminiscent of Fatboy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which starred Christopher Walken. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley's choreography includes shaking, grimacing, and even firing lasers from her fingers, showcasing a unique and entertaining performance.

In Death Stranding, Qualley portrays Mama, also known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist within the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister Lockne, whom she also plays, Mama is instrumental in developing the Chiral Network, a vital communication system for the organization Bridges that facilitates instant data transfer.

Kojima's tweet about Qualley's casting sparked a variety of responses from fans. One praised him, saying, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."

Currently, Kojima is involved in multiple projects, including Death Stranding 2, set for release on June 26, 2025, a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24, the Xbox-published game OD, described by Kojima as "a game I have always wanted to make," and a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.