“So yeah, after going independent, I had nothing. All I had were connections with people, so I followed those connections to make the game.”
Kojima summarized the casting of Death Stranding by saying that after going independent he had nothing and only connections, so he followed those connections to make the game. Norman Reedus came from P.T.; he already had relationships with Nicolas Winding Refn and Guillermo del Toro, and with Troy Baker as well. When asked if anyone turned him down, he said no one did. For better or worse he had a foot in the door with almost everyone — friends of some were fans of his, and Mads’s son was a fan of his. He explained the trust pact a game requires: film shoots last months on a closed set, but games are captured while the game is being made — over years, fitting around actors’ film schedules, with the story changing along the way and shooting before the script is finalized. It is not common for actors to accept such a project, but everyone understood and put their trust in him, and he is very grateful.
“I had worked with Norman Reedus during PT, Nicholas Reffin and Guillermo del Toro I had relations with prior, and Troy Baker too. […] — Was there anyone that you wanted to cast in Death Stranding that you didn't get or said no to you? — No, no one. […] It's not very common for actors to agree to such a project, but everyone understood and put their trust in me.”