Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima has revealed that he cast Margaret Qualley for the role of Mama in Death Stranding after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze 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 pulsating dance track, reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which starred Christopher Walken. In the Kenzo fragrance ad, Qualley delivers a unique and choreographed dance routine, characterized by shakes, grimaces, and spasms, including a moment where she shoots lasers from her fingers. Her performance also includes dancing while seemingly struggling to control her limbs. You can watch the full, intriguing, and entertaining performance 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

Qualley's portrayal of Mama — Målingen — in Death Stranding showcases her as a pivotal member of Bridges, one of the greatest gadget-inventing scientists in the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister, Lockne, also played by Qualley, she developed the Chiral Network, a crucial communications network that facilitates instantaneous data transfer for Bridges.

Fans on social media were quick to react to Kojima's casting 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 busy with multiple projects. Death Stranding 2 is set to launch on June 26, 2025. He's also involved in a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24, and the Xbox-published OD, which he describes as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he's working on a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.