Hideo Kojima recently disclosed that he cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement. Sharing the impactful commercial on Twitter on April 25, Kojima expressed his decision, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."
The advertisement features Qualley in a dynamic dance sequence set to a pulsating bass track, reminiscent of the iconic Fat Boy Slim video "Weapon of Choice," which showcased Christopher Walken's dance prowess. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley's performance is marked by a unique choreography involving shakes, grimaces, and spasms, including a striking moment where she appears to shoot lasers from her fingers. Her dance also captures moments of apparent struggle to control her limbs, making for a visually compelling and entertaining spectacle.
In Death Stranding, Qualley embodies the character of Mama, also known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist in the United Cities of America who, alongside her twin sister Lockne (also portrayed by Qualley), developed the Chiral Network. This network is crucial for Bridges, enabling instant data transfer across the game's world.
Kojima's tweet about the advertisement garnered enthusiastic responses from fans. One fan praised him, saying, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."
Currently, Hideo Kojima is involved in several high-profile projects, including Death Stranding 2, slated for release on June 26, 2025, a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24, and OD, an Xbox-published game he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he is working on a PlayStation-exclusive action espionage project.
You can view the full, intriguing Kenzo fragrance advertisement featuring Margaret Qualley's 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
