How Jiggly Caliente Died: 2025 Drag Community Loss
Jiggly Caliente Dies at 44: Remembering the Drag Race & Pose Star’s Legacy (2025 Update)
The drag community is mourning the heartbreaking 2025 death of Jiggly Caliente at just 44 years old. The RuPaul's Drag Race star and LGBTQ+ advocate passed away on April 27, 2025, after complications from a leg amputation, leaving fans worldwide devastated by the loss of this radiant performer.
In this tribute, we'll celebrate Jiggly's groundbreaking career, courageous health battle, and the flood of love from heartbroken fans and celebrities. Let's honor her unforgettable legacy together.
Jiggly Caliente's Rise to Drag Royalty
Jiggly (born Bianca Castro-Arabejo) burst onto the scene in 2012's Drag Race Season 4, instantly winning hearts with her:
🔥 Unfiltered humor ("This ain't RuPaul's Best Friend Race!")
🔥 Daring fashions (Who could forget her apocalyptic runway?)
🔥 Pioneering Filipino representation in drag
After her iconic Drag Race run, she:
✅ Judged Drag Race Philippines (2022-2024)
✅ Appeared in FX's Pose as a fierce house mother
✅ Became a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ and amputee rights
Surprising Fact: Jiggly was the first queen to wear prosthetic breasts on Drag Race - a bold move that inspired future generations.
Drag's biggest stars have paid tribute to Jiggly Caliente, the RuPaul's Drag Race star who helped champion Asian representation on the reality television show.
The Filipina-American transwoman, whose real name is Bianca Castro-Arabejo, died early Saturday after suffering from a "severe infection" that caused the amputation of her right leg two days prior. She was 44.
Caliente had served as a judge on the show's Philippines spin-off, and also appeared in the hit US TV series Pose.
"Her talent, truth, and impact will never be forgotten, and her legacy will continue to slay - always," the official RuPaul's Drag Race account said on X.
Born in the Philippines in 1980, Caliente moved to the Queens neighbourhood of New York City with her family when she was a child.
She quickly became a fan favourite on RuPaul's Drag Race for her sense of humour and memorable interactions with other queens when she appeared on the show in 2012.
She alPokémonared on TV. Sitcoms like Broad City and Search Party, and played the role of Veronica in the TV drama Pose.
In 2021, she returned for the show's All Stars season looking more polished and confident. "Did someone runner-up GLOW UP?" she said in an Instagram post at that time, with Tagalog hashtags declaring her Philippine pride.
Getty Images Jiggly Caliente speaks at a rally on Capitol Hill in 2024.
Jiggly Caliente said that she got her name form Jigglypuff, a pink and cuddly Pokemon character
Fellow Filipina-American and Drag Race Star Manila Luzon said she was heartbroken to have lost her best friend after 25 years.
"Rest in peace, little sis. Your mug is still flawless," said Luzon, who was a runner up on the US series' third season.
Season 3 winner Raja, who is Indonesian, also posted a picture of Caliente on Instagram, saying she was at a loss for words.
"I trust I will have words soon. I'm at a loss."
Drag Race judge Michelle Visage said: "My jiggles…. The laughter was endless, our talks were special, your energy was contagious. You were and remain so very loved."
"Jiggly was so much person in one little body. She lived her life exactly how she wanted to— never taking a moment of it for granted," said Jinkx Monsoon, who won Season 5 and the all-winners All Stars season.
Caliente had said that she got her name from Jigglypuff, a pink and cuddly Pokémon character. Caliente means hot in Spanish.
On Drag Race Philippines, Caliente is billed as "RuGirl from Laguna," in a nod to her roots in Laguna, an industrial province south of Manila.
"Ate Bianca, Jiggly, I hope you know that you are loved," said the franchise's breakout star, Marina Summers, using a term of endearment in Tagalog.
"I just lost my favourite seatmate. Drag Race Philippines will never be the same without you," said fellow Drag Race Philippines judge Jervi Wrightson, also known as Kaladkaren.
Caliente's death comes as Drag Race Philippines is set to air its first All Stars season, dubbed Slaysian Royale. It will pit Filipina queens from the last three seasons against Asian queens from the show's many international editions.
