NEW YORK (AP) — Drag performer Bianca Castro-Arabejo, who was referred to as actuality tv star Jiggly Caliente on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” died Sunday at age 44, days after her household reported hospitalization for a critical an infection.
Castro-Arabejo, who grew to become a decide on “Drag Race Philippines” in 2022, scrapped plans to seem on the upcoming season after a current hospitalization for a “severe infection” and a leg amputation surgical procedure, her household mentioned in an announcement on her Instagram web page.
She died early Sunday, her household mentioned in one other assertion.
“A luminous presence in the worlds of entertainment and advocacy, Jiggly Caliente was celebrated for her infectious energy, fierce wit, and unwavering authenticity,” her household mentioned Sunday. “She touched countless lives through her artistry, activism, and the genuine connection she fostered with fans around the world.”
Santiago Felipe by way of Getty Photographs
Castro-Arabejo competed on the fourth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and afterward “RuPaul’s Drag Race Allstars.”
“Her talent, truth, and impact will never be forgotten, and her legacy will continue to slay — always,” mentioned an announcement from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” posted on X. “We’re holding her family, friends, and fans close in our hearts during this difficult time.”
Born within the Philippines, Castro-Arabejo immigrated to New York. She began working in drag about 20 years in the past, showing in competitions and pageants.
She famous the affect of her upbringing in her work and its significance for illustration within the trade. In 2018, she launched a hip-hop album known as “T.H.O.T. Process,” together with a observe the place she raps in Tagalog.
Jemal Countess by way of Getty Photographs
Throughout a 2023 episode of actuality present “Bring Back My Girls,” which reunites completely different performers from the “Drag Race” franchise, Castro-Arabejo mentioned her work as a decide was vital due to her heritage.
“When it comes to my culture, I live and breathe that I am Filipina,” she mentioned. “I am a proud immigrant woman.”
She publicly got here out as transgender in 2016 on a podcast, partly as a result of she mentioned she obtained letters from followers who have been combating their very own gender identities.
“I wanted to come out because I was ready to come out. I have been living as a trans woman for so long, but I just never told the audience and the fans that,” she mentioned in a 2018 Billboard interview. “I was actually transitioning while I was on the show, I just never talked about it. I didn’t want it to be my storyline, because being a trans woman is not what defines me.”
