Hideo Kojima, the visionary behind Death Stranding, recently shared an intriguing insight into his casting process. He revealed that he cast Margaret Qualley as Mama after being captivated by her performance in a Spike Jonze-directed Kenzo fragrance advertisement. Kojima took to Twitter on April 25, 2025, to share the viral commercial, stating, "I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."
In the advertisement, Qualley delivers a mesmerizing dance performance set to a bass-heavy track reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic "Weapon of Choice," which famously featured Christopher Walken. Qualley's routine is both unusual and compelling, involving a choreographed sequence of shakes, grimaces, and spasms, including a moment where she seemingly fires lasers from her fingers. At another point, she dances while appearing to struggle with controlling her limbs. The full, bizarre, yet incredibly entertaining performance can be viewed 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
In Death Stranding, Qualley portrays Mama, officially known as Målingen, a pivotal character and one of the most ingenious scientists within the United Cities of America. Alongside her twin sister, Lockne, whom she also plays, Mama is instrumental in the creation of the Chiral Network, a groundbreaking communications network developed by Bridges that enables instantaneous data transfer.
Kojima's tweet sparked a range of reactions from fans. One admirer commented, "You are a visionary, Kojima-san," while another humorously remarked, "I do this most mornings, Kojima-san. Hire me too."
Currently, Hideo Kojima is not resting on his laurels. He is actively working on several high-profile projects, including Death Stranding 2, set to release on June 26, 2025, a live-action Death Stranding film in collaboration with A24, and OD, a new game published by Xbox that Kojima describes as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he is developing a PlayStation exclusive action espionage project, further expanding his innovative portfolio.
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