Hideo Kojima has revealed that he cast Margaret Qualley in the role of Mama in Death Stranding after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed fragrance advertisement for Kenzo. On April 25, Kojima shared the viral commercial on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."
The advertisement features Qualley in a dynamic dance routine set to a bass-heavy track, reminiscent of Fatboy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which starred Christopher Walken. Qualley's performance includes shaking, grimacing, and even firing lasers from her fingers, showcasing an unusual yet captivating choreography.
In Death Stranding, Margaret Qualley plays the dual roles of Mama and her twin sister Lockne, both integral to the game's storyline. Mama, a member of the organization Bridges, is depicted as one of the greatest scientists in the United Cities of America. Together with Lockne, she developed the Chiral Network, a crucial communications system that enables instant data transfer across the game's world.
You can view the full, quirky, and highly entertaining 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 on social media were quick to react to Kojima's revelation. One fan praised him, 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, an Xbox-published game described by Kojima as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he is working on a PlayStation-exclusive action espionage project.
