Margaret Qualley Cast in Death Stranding Inspired by Viral Perfume Ad Dance

Hideo Kojima announced that Margaret Qualley's role as Mama in Death Stranding was inspired by her captivating performance in a Spike Jonze fragrance commercial.

In a tweet shared on April 25, Kojima explained: "This performance convinced me to cast her as Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding."

The ad features Qualley dancing energetically to a pulsating track, reminiscent of Fat Boy Slim's iconic Weapon of Choice video with Christopher Walken’s smooth moves.

In Death Stranding, Qualley portrays Mama — Målingen — a brilliant scientist in the United Cities of America and a key member of Bridges. Alongside her twin sister, Lockne, also played by Qualley, she develops the Chiral Network, enabling instant data communication.

In the Kenzo ad, Qualley delivers a striking, choreographed dance, blending expressive movements with moments of intense energy, including a scene where she appears to shoot lasers from her fingers. The performance, both quirky and mesmerizing, can be viewed in full 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

"Your vision is unmatched, Kojima-san," one fan responded, while another joked: "I dance like this every morning, Kojima-san. Cast me next!"

Kojima is currently developing Death Stranding 2, set for release on June 26, 2025, a live-action Death Stranding film with A24, and OD, an Xbox-published project he calls a dream game. He’s also working on a PlayStation-exclusive action espionage title.