Hideo Kojima has revealed a new piece of trivia about his PlayStation game Death Stranding. He said on a social media post that he offered Margaret Qualley a role in the video game after seeing her in a Kenzo perfume ad back in 2016.
The ad was directed by Oscar-winning director Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Her), and in it, Qualley dances in a variety of contorting positions. “The only note I got from my agent was that they wanted me to dance like a tree,” Qualley said of the ad, which you can see below.
In Death Stranding, Qualley plays Mama and Lockne. It’s unclear if Qualley is coming back for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
Qualley’s stardom has grown since 2019’s Death Stranding, as she played one of the leads in the Oscar-nominated movie The Substance in 2024. She’s also known for her roles in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the TV series Maid. Among her numerous upcoming projects is Happy Gilmore 2.
Death Stranding 2 launches at the end of June on PS5, with Kojima directing. Lately, Kojima has been busy testing the game ahead of release. Kojima Productions recently held a media event where members of the press got a chance to play it, and impressions will be posted online this May.