Since Death Stranding 2's reveal at The Game Awards 2022, Hideo Kojima has kept fans updated on the game's development, including through his Brain Structure podcast.
The most recent episode was particularly noteworthy as Kojima hosted actress Elle Fanning, one of the stars in the upcoming game. During the conversation, Kojima and Fanning delved into the actress' involvement in the game, as well as her perspectives on the game and her character.
It turned out that Kojima has been a long-time fan of Fanning and had wanted her to be part of the Death Stranding sequel from the start of its production. His wish came true with the help of director Nicolas Winding Refn, who worked with the actress in the thriller The Neon Demon where she played the lead role.
Fanning, who was previously unfamiliar with the world of video games, stated that she became aware of Kojima through positive comments from Refn, who described him as a genius and encouraged her to participate in his next game. Intrigued by the opportunity, Fanning had a conversation with Kojima over Zoom, during which he told her about the story of Death Stranding 2.