Drag queen Jiggly Caliente dies aged 44 after ‘severe infection’
Bianca Castro-Arabejo, the RuPaul’s Drag Race queen, passed away on Sunday “surrounded by family and friends.”
Jiggly Caliente, a drag queen, passed away at the age of 44 due to a “severe infection,” according to her relatives. The performer, whose true name was Bianca Castro-Arabejo, became well-known after competing in RuPaul’s Drag Race’s fourth season.
On Thursday, Caliente’s family revealed that the infection had forced the Filipino-American drag performer to have a portion of her leg amputated.
She was “cherished by many” for her work, according to her family’s Instagram post, and passed away on Sunday at 4:42 a.m. “surrounded by her loving family and close friends.”
Michelle Visage, a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race and DJ on BBC Radio 2, posted on Instagram: “My jiggles. Our conversations were unique, the laughter never stopped, and your enthusiasm was infectious.
“You were and still are incredibly loved.” We urge you to soar high because this planet has lost an angel. Honey, you have my undying love.
The celebrity had a “luminous presence” in the entertainment and advocacy industries, according to a statement from Caliente’s family, who also stated that she would be sorely lost and never forgotten.
“Her artistry, activism, and the sincere connection she cultivated with fans worldwide touched countless lives,” her family stated.
Drag queen Jiggly
Caliente was a contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season six after coming out as transgender. She was also appointed as a judge when the show started airing in 2022 and was scheduled to judge the most recent season of the spin-off program Drag Race Philippines.
In a social media statement, the program and its producers, World of Wonder, expressed their “deep sadness” and requested that Caliente’s family be allowed the time and space to mourn their “sadden loss.”
“Jiggly’s lightheartedness, love, and humour touched so many in the Drag Race family and beyond,” they continued. The communities she fought for will continue to benefit from her legacy.
Caliente, who was born on November 29, 1980, was raised in New York after moving from the Philippines. In her first Drag Race series, the judges commended her for her sense of humour and her amazing lip-syncs as she fought to stay in the competition and struggled with sewing clothes during some of the challenges.
She lost before the championship match, and Sharon Needles won the title in 2012.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK stars Cherry Valentine, 28, and The Vivienne, 32, as well as US participants Sahara Davenport, 27, and Chi Chi DeVayne, 4, have died since the start of the program in 2009.