In the documentary “Connecting Worlds” available on Disney+, Danish actor and former James Bond villain Mads Mikkelsen talks about his friendship with legendary video game director Hideo Kojima and how he became Cliff Unger.
The documentary heavily focuses on director Hideo Kojima’s journey of becoming an independent studio and building Death Stranding. The documentary sheds new light on how Mikkelsen got involved in the game.
The veteran actor has a network of friends within the industry and how he came across this project was through Danish film director Nicolas Winding Refn who also starred in the game as Heartman.
Mads in Hideo’s Mad Vision
Kojima based the character around the actor and did his best to explain to Mikkelsen what Death Stranding would be all about but was convinced all the same once he was shown concept art and drawings by Yoji Shinkawa, long-time collaborator and lead artist and character designer of Kojima Productions. Described it as if they were making a feature film that showcases the passion and talent of Hideo, bridging these two formats into one project.
Admittedly, Mads and his co-star Norman Reedus didn’t always understand the direction of the game, let alone what was happening the moment Hideo shouted action. Both actors just did their best on the motion capture stage and nodded with whatever direction was given. One may say the disadvantage of having a language barrier may hampered the flow of the craft but Mads was committed to the role and he genuinely believed in what type of story they were working on.
This was not his first rodeo with CGI after being in several Hollywood blockbusters like Doctor Strange, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and more but this was the first for him to make a video game project, being unaware of the conveniences and wonders of motion capture was a quite change of pace for him and fellow actors. What drew him more into his character as Cliff is the violence that he faced as a veteran and that he wasn’t necessarily a villain but a character with grief going on a poetic journey.
Mads Mikkelsen’s Run As Cliff Unger Is Over
Fans of the character expressed their disappointment once Hideo confirmed over on his X page that the character’s story has been concluded which is confirmation that Mads Mikkelsen will no longer be reprising his role in the sequel Death Stranding 2: On the Beach or in any future installments. Given the reception, it is safe to say that fans loved him and that the actor has nailed the performance.
Death Stranding is a complex story about reconnecting with the world and our humanity. Mads and his co-stars trusted Hideo’s decisions and didn’t need to question them. He was able to embody the necessary emotions and captivate the players. “Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will be released on PS5 in 2025.
