Hideo Kojima has shared that he was inspired to cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after seeing her in a unique Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement. In a tweet on April 25, Kojima stated, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding," highlighting the viral commercial that caught his eye.
The advertisement features Qualley executing a distinctive dance routine set to a pulsating dance track, reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which featured Christopher Walken's memorable performance. Qualley's dance in the Kenzo ad includes shaking, grimacing, and even firing lasers from her fingers, capturing a sense of controlled chaos that evidently resonated with Kojima.
In Death Stranding, Qualley portrays Mama, also known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist within the United Cities of America. She, along with her twin sister Lockne, whom Qualley also plays, developed the Chiral Network, a crucial communication system for the game's faction, Bridges. You can watch the full, captivating performance from the Kenzo 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 revelation. One fan praised, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."
Currently, Kojima is engaged in multiple projects. Death Stranding 2 is set to release on June 26, 2025. He's also collaborating on a live-action Death Stranding film with A24, and working on OD, an Xbox-published game that he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he is developing a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.
