Margaret Qualley Joins Death Stranding Cast After Bizarre Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima has shared the intriguing story behind casting Margaret Qualley as Mama in Death Stranding, revealing that it was her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement that caught his attention. On April 25, Kojima took to Twitter to share 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 bass-heavy track reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice" video, which famously showcased Christopher Walken's dance moves. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley's performance is equally captivating, as she executes a unique choreography filled with shakes, grimaces, and even moments where she appears to struggle with her movements, including a striking scene where she fires lasers from her fingers.

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 crucial communications system for Bridges that enables instant data transfer.

Kojima's tweet about the advertisement quickly garnered attention, with fans expressing their admiration. 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 busy with 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, he's developing OD, an Xbox-published game described by Kojima as "a game I have always wanted to make," and a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.