‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ star Jiggly Caliente dies at 44
Associated Press NEW YORK Drag performer Bianca Castro-Arabejo who was known as reality television star Jiggly Caliente on RuPaul s Drag Race died Sunday at age days after her family stated hospitalization for a serious infection Castro-Arabejo who became a judge on Drag Race Philippines in scrapped plans to appear on the upcoming season after a newest hospitalization for a severe infection and a leg amputation surgery her family disclosed in a announcement on her Instagram page She died early Sunday her family announced in another message A luminous presence in the worlds of entertainment and advocacy Jiggly Caliente was celebrated for her infectious potential fierce wit and unwavering authenticity her family reported Sunday She touched countless lives through her artistry activism and the genuine connection she fostered with fans around the world Castro-Arabejo competed on the fourth season of RuPaul s Drag Race and later on RuPaul s Drag Race Allstars Her talent truth and impact will never be forgotten and her legacy will continue to slay reliably reported a declaration from RuPaul s Drag Race posted on X We re holding her family friends and fans close in our hearts during this arduous time Born in the Philippines Castro-Arabejo immigrated to New York She started working in drag about years ago appearing in competitions and pageants She noted the influence of her upbringing in her work and its importance for representation in the industry In she circulated a hip-hop album called T H O T Process including a track where she raps in Tagalog Related Articles World War II airman s remains receive a hero s welcome in San Jose Virginia Giuffre who accused Prince Andrew Jeffrey Epstein dies at Builder Barry Swenson deduced in struggling San Jose Santa Cruz downtowns Mike Patrick dies at sportscaster was the original play-by-play voice of ESPN s NFL coverage Sophie Nyweide dies at child actor co-starred in the films Mammoth and Noah During a episode of reality show Bring Back My Girls which reunites different performers from the Drag Race franchise Castro-Arabejo mentioned her work as a judge was significant because of her heritage When it comes to my custom I live and breathe that I am Filipina she explained I am a proud immigrant woman She publicly came out as transgender in on a podcast partly because she explained she received letters from fans who were struggling with their own gender identities I desired 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 narrated the audience and the fans that she revealed in a Billboard interview I was certainly 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
