Hideo Kojima recently disclosed that he was inspired to cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after viewing her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed fragrance advertisement for Kenzo. On April 25, Kojima shared the impactful commercial on Twitter, stating, "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," which showcased Christopher Walken's dance moves. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley's performance includes unique choreography with shaking, grimacing, and even firing lasers from her fingers, captivating viewers with its unusual yet entertaining style.
In Death Stranding, Qualley portrays Mama, also known as Målingen, a key member of Bridges and a brilliant scientist in the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister Lockne, whom she also plays, Mama is instrumental in developing the Chiral Network, a crucial communications infrastructure for Bridges that enables instant data transfer.
You can experience Qualley's striking performance in the Kenzo fragrance ad through the link provided by Kojima:
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 have reacted enthusiastically to Kojima's casting choice. One fan praised, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."
Kojima is currently immersed in multiple projects, including Death Stranding 2, slated 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 new PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.
