WATCH: Contortionist Jinny Jacinto practices to be Star Trek: Discovery’s shadow monster

Contortionist Jinny Jacinto (left) and Star Trek: Discovery’s shadow monster (right)

JANUARY 14, 2021 - Hands up how many of you thought that the shadow monster in the latest season of Star Trek: Discovery was CGI? If you raised your hand...well, you’re half right! The shadow monster was part CGI and part motion-capture, as performed by stunt performer and contortionist Jinny Jacinto. And there’s video to prove it!

In a Facebook post by Montreal-based talent agency TBT Management, Jacinto performs as the monster, before the CGI effects were applied. TBT Management captioned the video, “An awesome clip of Jinny Jacinto showing the work & magic behind the making of ‘The Monster’ in Star Trek: Discovery.”

In the clip, Jacinto crawls across a dining table, contorting herself into a backbend and kicking plates and bowls, before leaping off. The scene is from the Discovery season three episode, “Su’Kal”, when Michael Burnham first encounters the monster.

The video is worth a watch, especially if you’re someone who likes to know “how the sausage is made”. You can see the whole thing on TBT Management’s Facebook page, at facebook.com/tbtmanagement.

h/t to Twitter user Commander Kelly (@trektrill) for pointing out the video.