Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Bizarre Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima recently shared that he cast Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement. On April 25, Kojima tweeted a link to the viral commercial, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

The advertisement features Qualley dancing to a pulsating dance track, reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which showcased Christopher Walken's dance moves. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley executes a unique and choreographed dance, complete with shakes, grimaces, and spasms, even firing lasers from her fingers at one point. The performance is both bizarre and captivating, showcasing Qualley's ability to convey emotion through movement.

In Death Stranding, Qualley portrays Mama, also known as Målingen, a brilliant scientist within the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister, Lockne, whom she also plays, Mama is instrumental in developing the Chiral Network, a critical communication system for Bridges that enables instant data transfer.

Kojima's tweet about Qualley's casting sparked a range of reactions from fans. One fan praised Kojima's vision, saying, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."

Currently, Kojima is involved in several high-profile projects. Death Stranding 2 is set to release on June 26, 2025, and he's also working on a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24. Additionally, Kojima is developing OD, an Xbox-published game he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make," and a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.