Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Unique Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima has disclosed that he cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed fragrance advertisement for Kenzo. On April 25, Kojima took to Twitter to share the impactful commercial, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

In the advertisement, Qualley is seen dancing energetically to a bass-heavy track, reminiscent of the iconic "Weapon of Choice" video by Fat Boy Slim, featuring Christopher Walken. Her performance, filled with unique choreography involving shakes, grimaces, spasms, and even firing lasers from her fingers, caught Kojima's attention and led to her casting.

The Kenzo fragrance ad showcases Qualley's ability to execute a choreographed dance that includes unusual movements and expressions, which can be viewed in its entirety 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 on social media were quick to react to Kojima's revelation. One fan praised his vision, 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 engaged in multiple projects, including Death Stranding 2, set to release on June 26, 2025, a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24, and OD, a game published by Xbox that Kojima describes as one he has "always wanted to make." Additionally, he is working on an action espionage project exclusive to PlayStation.