Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Bizarre Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima has revealed that he was inspired to cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after seeing her in a Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement. On April 25, Kojima shared the viral commercial on Twitter, stating: "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

The advertisement features Qualley dancing to a bass-heavy track, reminiscent of the iconic Fatboy Slim video "Weapon of Choice," which showcased Christopher Walken's dance moves. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley performs a unique and choreographed routine, characterized by shakes, grimaces, spasms, and even firing lasers from her fingers, as she struggles to control her movements.

In Death Stranding, Qualley portrays Mama, also known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist in the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister Lockne, also played by Qualley, she is responsible for creating the Chiral Network, a vital communications system used by Bridges for instant data transfer.

You can watch the full, captivating performance in the Kenzo fragrance advertisement 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 were quick to react to Kojima's tweet, with one calling him a "visionary," and another humorously suggesting they should be hired for similar morning routines.

Currently, Hideo Kojima is working on 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 PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.