Hideo Kojima revealed that he cast Margaret Qualley as 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 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 showcased Christopher Walken's memorable dance moves. In the Kenzo ad, Qualley delivers a unique and choreographed dance routine, characterized by shakes, grimaces, and spasms, with a standout moment where she appears to fire lasers from her fingers. At another point, she dances while seemingly struggling to control her limbs. You can view the full, quirky, and highly engaging 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

Fans on social media were quick to respond to Kojima's tweet. 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."

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

Kojima is currently 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 that Kojima describes as "a game I have always wanted to make." Additionally, he is working on a new PlayStation exclusive action espionage project.