Death Stranding boasts an incredible cast—as does its successor—and Hideo Kojima has revealed to social media why he cast Margaret Qualley in Death Stranding.
A veritable who’s who of TV, movie, and video-game talent comprises Death Stranding‘s cast. Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Troy Baker, and the list goes on. However, there was a key role for actress Margaret Qualley. 2019 turned out to be a great year for her as she also had a memorable part in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.
But she also played twins Mama and Lockne in Death Stranding. Hideo Kojima has revealed how she caught his eye in the first place.
Margaret Qualley Got Death Stranding Role Because of KENZO Advert
Qualley was a model and actress growing up, and in 2016, she was hired to be the face of a KENZO advert.
The video starts with her at a ceremony, clapping along and pretending to listen to the words being said by the announcer. She becomes visibly distant very quickly. Qualley steps out to an empty hallway, and something comes over her. She starts pulling faces before breaking out into uncontrollable and excitable body pops and movements.
She then spends the next couple of minutes engaging in a dance routine across the whole building. It’s captivating and, in the end, cathartic. X user @zombietecho recently shared the video on social media, showing many in the world her talents before she became a mainstream star.
The post went viral and caught the attention of Hideo Kojima. The legendary director has helmed the Metal Gear Solid franchise, Zone of the Enders, and recently Death Stranding.
He commented on the post saying: “I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding.”
Given that Kojima has an eye for things that many don’t, this is entirely plausible.
I saw this and offered her the role of Mama (Lockne) in Death Stranding.
We don’t know if Whalley is returning in any capacity for Death Stranding 2. What we do know is that if you want to get noticed by Hideo Kojima, make a name for yourself in an advert or another similar medium!
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Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
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