Jiggly Caliente

Bianca Castro-Arabejo was born in San Pedro, Laguna, in the Philippines on November 29, 1980.{{cite news |last=Diaz |first=Johnny |title=Jiggly Caliente, RuPaul's Drag Race star and judge, dies at 44 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/27/arts/television/jiggly-caliente-rupaul-drag-race-dead.html |date=April 27, 2025 |access-date=April 28, 2025 |newspaper=The New York Times |archive-date=April 27, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427235223/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/27/arts/television/jiggly-caliente-rupaul-drag-race-dead.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|access-date=April 27, 2025|date=April 27, 2025|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/apr/27/drag-queen-jiggly-caliente-dies-aged-44-after-severe-infection|quote=Born on 29 November 1980, Caliente moved from the Philippines to New York when she was a child.|last=Coughlan|first=Joe|title=Drag queen Jiggly Caliente dies aged 44 after 'severe infection'}} During the first grade, she was bullied and body-shamed by a fellow student, and was expelled for stabbing the student's hand with a pencil.{{cite web |last=McGowan |first=Elisabeth |title=Jiggly Caliente: 5 things to know about the late drag performer |url=https://hollywoodlife.com/feature/who-is-jiggly-caliente-5383420/ |date=April 27, 2025 |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=Hollywood Life }} Castro later immigrated to the United States in 1991 alongside her mother and brother. She was raised in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens, New York. In her junior year of high school she came out to her mother.{{cite web |last=Normal |first=Abby |title=Meet Jiggly Caliente from RuPaul's Drag Race 4 |url=https://theabbynormal.wordpress.com/2014/08/06/meet-jiggly-caliente-from-rupauls-drag-race-4/ |date=August 6, 2014 |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=Abby Normal |publisher=Wordpress }}

As a young child, Castro wanted to become a veterinarian, but later was more interested in being a cartoonist and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) majoring in illustration. She soon realized, that "comic books were kind of like a dying art form" and stopped attending.{{cite magazine |last=Samonte |first=Jujiin |title=Chronicling 2 decades of Jiggly Caliente: Unpacking her personal evolution and professional triumphs |url=https://mega-asia.com/fashion/chronicling-jiggly-caliente-unpacking-her-personal-evolution-and-professional-triumphs/ |date=April 11, 2024 |access-date=April 27, 2025 |magazine=Mega }}

File:Jiggly Caliente crop.jpg

Castro first created her drag persona in 2004 or 2005 on a dare after she came to support a friend who was competing in a drag competition. She named herself after the Pokémon character Jigglypuff and added the Spanish word caliente meaning hot.{{cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Christine |title=Jiggly Caliente: The Socialite Life interview |url=https://socialitelife.com/jiggly-caliente-socialite-life-interview/ |date=February 15, 2019 |access-date=April 19, 2019 |website=Socialite Life }} Jiggly Caliente once worked at the Web, a gay Asian nightclub in New York City known for its sexual services, and stated, "I just don't think anyone should be ashamed for it."{{cite web |title=On Point with: Jiggly Caliente |url=https://thotyssey.com/2016/07/20/on-point-with-jiggly-caliente/ |date=August 20, 2016 |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=Thotyssey }} She soon began competing in beauty pageants and was crowned as Ms. Asia America 2006, Ms. Mexico New York 2008, and Ms. Universo Latina Plus 2009.{{cite web |title=Queens on Thrones: Jiggly Caliente |url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/gay-lesbian/jiggly-caliente |date=November 21, 2016 |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=Time Out |publisher=Time Out Group |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021143007/https://www.timeout.com/newyork/gay-lesbian/jiggly-caliente |url-status=live }}

Jiggly Caliente was announced as one of thirteen contestants of the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race on November 13, 2011. She placed eighth overall, being eliminated in a lip-sync contest by Willam.{{cite web|last=Rudolph|first=Christopher|title=Jiggly Caliente: "Janet Jackson Has Never Been Justified on 'Drag Race'"|url=http://www.newnownext.com/jiggly-caliente-rupauls-drag-race-all-stars-season-6/06/2021/|work=NewNowNext|access-date=June 29, 2021|date=June 28, 2021|archive-date=June 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628223802/http://www.newnownext.com/jiggly-caliente-rupauls-drag-race-all-stars-season-6/06/2021/|url-status=live}} Jiggly Caliente appeared in archive footage in the finale of the fifth season and made an appearance in the finale of the sixth season, where she asked a viewer question to contestant Bianca Del Rio.{{cite news |last1=O'Toole |first1=Scarlett |title=RuPaul's Drag Race star Jiggly Caliente gets leg amputated after 'serious infection' |url=https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/breaking-jiggly-caliente-leg-amputated-1111148 |access-date=30 April 2025 |publisher=The Daily Mirror |date=24 April 2025 |archive-date=April 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424132650/https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/breaking-jiggly-caliente-leg-amputated-1111148 |url-status=live }}

File:Rupaul Dragcon 2018-306 (41377493474) (cropped).jpg, 2018]]

Outside of Drag Race, Castro was seen in the beginning of the 2012 NewNowNext awards.{{Cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2012/04/09/newnownext-awards-2012/|title=Logo's 2012 'NewNowNext Awards': On the scene|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=March 3, 2018|language=en|archive-date=March 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303110457/http://ew.com/article/2012/04/09/newnownext-awards-2012/|url-status=live}} Her acting career began in 2015 when she played a role in the season-two finale of Broad City as a shop owner.{{Cite news|url=http://worldofwonder.net/jiggly-caliente-broad-city/|title=OMG! Jiggly Caliente on The Season Two Finale of Broad City!|date=March 19, 2015|publisher=WorldOfWonder.net|access-date=March 3, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=March 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303110411/http://worldofwonder.net/jiggly-caliente-broad-city/|url-status=live}} She was one of thirty drag queens featured in Miley Cyrus's 2015 VMA performance.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2256541/meet-miley-vma-dancers-drag-queens/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831110139/http://www.mtv.com/news/2256541/meet-miley-vma-dancers-drag-queens/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 31, 2015|title=Meet All 30 Of Miley's Day-Glo Dancers From Her Insane VMA Performance|last=Lamour|first=Joseph|website=MTV News|language=en|access-date=June 12, 2019}} In 2016, she was in the pilot episode of Search Party.{{Cite web|url=https://gingesbecray.com/search-party-s1e1-recap/|title=Search Party S1:E1 The Mysterious Disappearance of the Girl No One Knew Recap|date=November 26, 2016|publisher=GingesBeCray.com|language=en-CA|access-date=March 3, 2018|archive-date=March 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303113309/https://gingesbecray.com/search-party-s1e1-recap/|url-status=live}} In 2017, she made a cameo appearance with fellow Drag Race contestants Bob The Drag Queen, Katya, and Detox in an episode of Playing House.{{Cite news|url=http://www.newnownext.com/katya-bob-the-drag-queen-detox-playing-house-usa/07/2017/|title=Katya, Bob the Drag Queen And Detox Appear On USA's "Playing House"|work=LOGO News|access-date=March 3, 2018}} She made an appearance as a backup singer in the music video for Bob The Drag Queen and Alaska's "Yet Another Dig".{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8015013/bob-the-drag-queen-alaska-thunderfuck-yet-another-dig-video|title='RuPaul's Drag Race' Winners Bob the Drag Queen & Alaska Thunderfuck Team Up for 'Yet Another Dig'|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 3, 2018|archive-date=July 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701184005/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8015013/bob-the-drag-queen-alaska-thunderfuck-yet-another-dig-video|url-status=live}} She played the character Veronica in Pose,{{Cite news|url=http://www.vulture.com/2018/07/pose-recap-season-1-episode-6-love-is-the-message.html|title=Pose Recap: Chicken Patty|last=Moylan|first=Brian|website=Vulture.com|publisher=New York|access-date=July 9, 2018|language=en|archive-date=July 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709052034/http://www.vulture.com/2018/07/pose-recap-season-1-episode-6-love-is-the-message.html|url-status=live}} appearing in the sixth and eighth episodes of the first season. She later confirmed she would be back for more episodes of the show's second season.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}

In September 2018, Castro performed as a background dancer for Christina Aguilera at Opening Ceremony's Spring 2019 runway show alongside other Drag Race contestants.{{Cite news|url=http://www.papermag.com/xtina-opening-ceremony-2603754575.html|title=We're Still Screaming: Xtina Performs With Drag Queens at NYFW|date=September 10, 2018|work=Paper|access-date=September 17, 2018|language=en|archive-date=April 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230419015144/http://www.papermag.com/xtina-opening-ceremony-2603754575.html|url-status=live}} In November 2018, she made an appearance on Saturday Night Live with Drag Race contestant Peppermint, as a Drag Queen for the Garmin GP-Yasss sketch.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8485648/peppermint-jiggly-caliente-snl-gps-sketch|title=Peppermint and Jiggly Caliente Make Road Trips More Fun in Epic 'SNL' Sketch|date=September 19, 2018|first=Stephen|last=Daw|magazine=Billboard|access-date=September 9, 2020}} In 2020, Jiggly Caliente co-hosted Translation, the first talk show on a major network hosted by an all-trans cast.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/outtv-media-group-producer-entertainment-group-outtv-usa-lgbtq-diversity-representation-inclusion-1234723463/?goal=0_fb57ec5ec0-209a6b9133-125807816&mc_cid=209a6b9133&mc_eid=909b825a99|title=OUTtv Media Group Teams With Producer Entertainment Group Launch First LGBTQ+ Apple TV Channel|website=Deadline|last=Ramos|first=Dino-Ray|date=March 29, 2021|access-date=March 29, 2021|archive-date=August 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801140757/https://deadline.com/2021/03/outtv-media-group-producer-entertainment-group-outtv-usa-lgbtq-diversity-representation-inclusion-1234723463/?goal=0_fb57ec5ec0-209a6b9133-125807816&mc_cid=209a6b9133&mc_eid=909b825a99|url-status=live}} On May 26, 2021, she was announced to be one of the 13 contestants returning for the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. She was eliminated in the second episode, placing twelfth overall. She was a main judge for the first, second, and third seasons of Drag Race Philippines, which premiered in 2022.{{cite news|url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/24/all-stars-6-drag-races-jiggly-caliente-second-to-exit-but-has-she-14824972/|title=All Stars 6: Jiggly Caliente second Drag Race queen eliminated in emotional scenes – or is she?|date=June 24, 2021|first=Sabrina|last=Barr|website=Metro|access-date=June 24, 2021}}

Jiggly Caliente released her first single, "Fckboi" on March 1, 2018, on her official Vevo channel.{{Citation|last=JigglyCalienteVEVO|title=Jiggly Caliente – FckBoi (Official Music Video)|date=March 1, 2018|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD-sTo9IYFo|access-date=March 15, 2018}} She released her debut album, T.H.O.T. Process on March 9, 2018. The twelve-track album features Drag Race contestants Sharon Needles, Peppermint, Alaska, Ginger Minj, Phi Phi O'Hara (credited as Jaremi Carey) and Manila Luzon. It also features an intro with RuPaul. The album is the first hip-hop-based record by a Drag Race contestant.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/pride/8221708/jiggly-caliente-rupauls-drag-race-interview|title=Jiggly Caliente Is Living Her Truth: 'It's Not a Gimmick, It's My Life'|magazine=Billboard|access-date=March 3, 2018}} The music video for the song "All This Body" premiered on November 30, 2018, and featured Alaska, Ginger Minj, and Isis King.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaHAPLRF0sI|title=Jiggly Caliente – All This Body ft. Alaska Thunderfuck & Ginger Minj|website=YouTube|date=November 30, 2018|access-date=April 12, 2019|archive-date=April 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422120955/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaHAPLRF0sI|url-status=live}}

Jiggly Caliente also was a featured artist for the first three volumes of the Drag Race Christmas Queens albums. The music video for "Ratchet Christmas" from the first volume was uploaded on December 9, 2015.{{Citation|last=Producer Entertainment Group/PEG|title=Jiggly Caliente – Ratchet Christmas [Official] from Christmas Queens|date=December 9, 2015|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqfs2B9iDuA|access-date=March 14, 2018|archive-date=March 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170307224613/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqfs2B9iDuA&feature=youtu.be|url-status=live}} She contributed to the compilation album Christmas Queens 3 (2017).{{Citation|title=Christmas Queens 3 by Various Artists|date=November 17, 2017|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/christmas-queens-3/1310212645|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216143912/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/christmas-queens-3/1310212645|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2018|language=en-US|access-date=September 17, 2018}}

File:DragCon 2023 @ DVSROSS Photgraphy -299 (cropped).jpg in 2023]]

Castro publicly came out as transgender in 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/herstory-trans-women-rupauls-drag-race/|title=The herstory of trans women on RuPaul's Drag Race|date=May 4, 2017|work=Gay Star News|access-date=March 3, 2018|language=en-GB|archive-date=July 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730201958/https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/herstory-trans-women-rupauls-drag-race/|url-status=dead}} She shared her transgender identity for the first time on a podcast, stating that receiving letters from fans who were struggling with their own gender identity helped her to realize she was a trans woman.{{cite news |title=Drag performer Jiggly Caliente, known for RuPaul's Drag Race and Pose, dead at 44 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/jiggly-caliente-obit-1.7520423 |agency=The Associated Press |publisher=CBC News |date=28 April 2025}} Two months later, she wrote on Instagram that "our trans brothers and sisters are very much part of our struggle for equality" and publicly encouraged drag race fans to engage in advocacy for trans rights.

On April 24, 2025, Castro's family revealed in a statement that her right leg had been surgically amputated due to a severe infection.{{cite web |last=Duncan |first=Charlie |date=April 24, 2025 |title=RuPaul's Drag Race star Jiggly Caliente suffers 'loss of leg' after 'severe infection' |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/24/jiggly-caliente-rupauls-drag-race-leg-amputation/ |work=Pink News}} She died in hospital three days later, at age 44.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/jiggly-caliente-death-bianca-castro-rupauls-drag-race-b2739497.html |title=RuPaul's Drag Race star Jiggly Caliente dies following leg amputation, aged 44 |date=April 27, 2025 |work=The Independent |first=Lydia |last=Spencer-Elliott |access-date=April 27, 2025 |archive-date=April 27, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427111236/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/jiggly-caliente-death-bianca-castro-rupauls-drag-race-b2739497.html |url-status=live }} Castro's family announced that a livestreamed funeral would take place in New York City sometime in May, and that there would be a special moment set aside for fans to visit and pay respects.{{cite news |last1=Bermudez |first1=Vanessa |title=Drag Icon Jiggly Caliente Remembered With Love – Memorial Service Updates |url=https://entertainmentnow.com/news/drag-jiggly-caliente-memorial-service-updates/ |access-date=7 May 2025 |publisher=Entertainment NOW |date=5 May 2025}}

Fellow Drag Race alumni including Jinkx Monsoon, Bob the Drag Queen, Heidi N Closet, Ginger Minj, Detox, Jujubee, Kennedy Davenport, Kandy Muse, Kameron Michaels, Nicky Doll, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Jaremi Carey, and others posted tributes to Castro on social media.{{cite news |last1=Sim |first1=Bernardo |title='Drag Race' stars and celebs mourn Jiggly Caliente's passing |url=https://www.out.com/news/jiggly-caliente-death-celebrities-rupauls-drag-race-queens-react#rebelltitem96 |publisher=OUT Magazine |access-date=7 May 2025 |date=27 April 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Inman |first1=Jessica |title='Drag Race' stars mourn Jiggly Caliente, call her 'so very loved' |url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2025/04/28/drag-race-stars-mourn-jiggly-caliente/2781745855184/ |date=28 April 2025}} Drag Race judge Michelle Visage stated that Castro's "laughter was endless [...] this world has lost an angel", and Pose co-star Michaela Jaé Rodriguez wrote on Instagram that she was going to miss Castro forever.{{cite news |last1=Wratten |first1=Marcus |title=Michelle Visage leads tributes to Drag Race star Jiggly Caliente following her tragic death |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/28/michelle-visage-tributes-drag-race-jiggly-caliente-death/ |publisher=PinkNews |date=28 April 2025}}

Some drag artists and social commentators received widespread criticism for how they reacted to the news of her passing. Former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies attacked the BBC for publishing Caliente's obituary on the grounds that the network publishes "endless drag stories", which resulted in the Green Party deputy leader Zack Polanski publicly criticizing Davies's comments as "disgusting".{{cite news |last1=Wratten |first1=Marcus |title=Sharron Davies slams BBC for covering death of Drag Race star Jiggly Caliente: 'Endless drag stories' |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/29/sharron-davies-bbc-drag-race-jiggly-caliente/ |access-date=29 April 2025 |publisher=Pink News |date=30 April 2025 |archive-date=April 30, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430043623/https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/29/sharron-davies-bbc-drag-race-jiggly-caliente/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Canagasuriam |first1=Danielle |title=Backlash after Drag Race star's obituary used as 'heartless' dig by Olympic swimmer |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/backlash-after-jiggly-calientes-obituary-35144200 |access-date=30 April 2025 |publisher=The Daily Mirror |date=30 April 2025}} Similarly, Tyra Sanchez, the winner of the second season of Drag Race, was widely criticized after she replied to an ode to Castro posted by Jaremi Carey with a meme that mocked Castro for losing her leg prior to her death. Friends and family of Castro condemned Sanchez's statements, and some commentators made connections to how Sanchez had also made similarly controversial remarks about The Vivienne following her sudden passing months prior in January 2025.{{cite news |title=Tyra Slammed By Fans For Disgusting Comments Following Jiggly Caliente's Death |url=https://inmagazine.ca/2025/04/tyra-slammed-by-fans-for-disgusting-comments-following-jiggly-calientes-death/ |publisher=IN Magazine |date=28 April 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Jupp |first1=Lydia |title=Tyra Shares Offensive Post Following Death of Jiggly Caliente |url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/celebrity-news/tyra-shares-offensive-post-following-death-of-jiggly-caliente/236525 |access-date=30 April 2025 |publisher=The Star Observer |archive-date=April 30, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250430033532/http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/celebrity-news/tyra-shares-offensive-post-following-death-of-jiggly-caliente/236525 |url-status=live }}

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{{Commons category|Jiggly Caliente}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jiggly Caliente}}

Category:1980 births

Category:2025 deaths

Category:20th-century American LGBTQ people

Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people

Category:Actresses from Laguna (province)

Category:American drag queens of Asian descent

Category:American drag queens

Category:American transgender musicians

Category:American transgender actresses

Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent

Category:American LGBTQ singers

Category:Deaths from sepsis

Category:Drag performers from New York City

Category:Filipino drag queens

Category:Filipino emigrants to the United States

Category:Filipino LGBTQ singers

Category:Filipino transgender actresses

Category:LGBTQ media personalities

Category:People from San Pedro, Laguna

Category:RuPaul's Drag Race contestants

Category:Transgender drag performers

Category:Transgender women singers

Category:American amputees

Category:Filipino amputees