Hideo Kojima Cast Margaret Qualley in DEATH STRANDING After Watching Her Dance in a Wild Perfume Ad
Legendary game creator Hideo Kojima recently revealed that Margaret Qualley landed her role as Mama in Death Stranding after he saw her cut loose in a 2016 Kenzo fragrance commercial directed by Spike Jonze.
In the ad, Qualley twists and contorts her face and body in sync with the bass-heavy "Mutant Brain" track by Sam Spiegel (Jonze’s brother). It’s weird, it's mesmerizing, and it’s pretty unhinged even by perfume ad standards.
Kojima was immediately hooked. He shared on X: "Saw this and offered her the role." One fan hilariously replied, "That's probably the least surprising thing I've seen you say."
Qualley’s performance in that commercial was a full display of physical control, expression, and oddball energy. It turned out to be the perfect unofficial audition for the world of Death Stranding, where characters often straddle the line between reality and surrealism.
As for her future in the Death Stranding universe, things are still up in the air. Qualley also played Mama’s identical twin, Lockne, in the game, which leaves the door wide open for her to show up in Death Stranding 2 or even the upcoming Death Stranding movie.
