Jiggly Caliente, beloved 'Drag Race' performer and 'Pose' actor, dies at 44

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” alumna Jiggly Caliente, a beloved resistance prima whose vocation and bequest extends beyond the long-running franchise, has died.

Jiggly Caliente, who besides appeared successful TV bid “Pose” and “Broad City,” died aboriginal Sunday morning, her household announced successful an Instagram statement. She died “peacefully” and “surrounded by her loving household and adjacent friends,” the connection said. Additional details including a origin of decease were not revealed. She was 44.

“A luminous beingness successful the worlds of amusement and advocacy, Jiggly Caliente was celebrated for her infectious energy, fierce wit, and unwavering authenticity,” the connection continued. “She touched countless lives done her artistry, activism, and the genuine transportation she fostered with fans astir the world.”

Jiggly Caliente died days aft her household announced Thursday that she suffered a “severe” corruption and had astir of her close limb amputated arsenic a result. At the clip the entertainer’s household said “her betterment volition beryllium extensive” and asked fans to “uplift her with messages of anticipation and love.”

On Sunday, arsenic quality of her decease spread, messages of emotion and enactment from Jiggly’s “Drag Race” household took connected a code of remembrance. “You were genuinely 1 of a kind, and I’m going to miss you deeply. Rest successful powerfulness sister. Grateful that the RuGirls person 1 much angel now,” wrote Shea Couleé, Season 9 runner-up and “All Stars” Season 5 winner.

“My jiggles…. The laughter was endless, our talks were special, your vigor was contagious,” said Michelle Visage, who posted a photograph with the precocious star. “You were and stay truthful precise loved. This satellite has mislaid an angel and we privation you to soar high…..I emotion you truthful overmuch honey.”

“Drag Race Philippines,” a spin-off bid wherever Jiggly Caliente brought her acquisition and expertise backmost to her commencement country, remembered the creator for her “humor, love, and airy [that] touched truthful galore successful the Drag Race household and beyond.” Filipino queens including Manila Luzon and Marina Summers besides paid tribute.

“I cognize we ever joked with each other, but earnestly you amended prevention maine a spot adjacent to you successful our peculiar spot Hell together!,” Manila Luzon joked successful her Instagram post.

Bianca Castro-Arabejo was calved Nov. 29, 1980, successful the Laguna state of the Philippines. She immigrated to the United States successful her preteen years and called New York City home. The self-proclaimed “NYC Asian Plus Size Barbie” competed successful respective pageants and entertained astatine galore section nightclubs. Jiggly would bring her acquisition to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for Season 4 successful 2012, competing alongside “Drag Race” instrumentality favorites including Latrice Royale and Chad Michaels.

“She’s got swag for your nerve, you can’t instrumentality her,” said Jiggly during her Werkroom entrance. She was 30 years aged astatine the time.

Jiggly’s clip connected “Drag Race” had a rocky commencement but she earned a estimation for her raunchy wit and dynamic creation moves. Though Jiggly did not locomotion distant with the crown — she placed eighth successful the play — her “Drag Race” bequest includes a heated confrontation with rival Lashauwn Beyond that inspired the fashionable “This is not RuPaul’s Best Friends Race” quote.

Nearly a decennary later, Jiggly returned to the “Drag Race” main signifier successful 2021 arsenic she competed against different returning queens successful “All Stars” Season 6. Jiggly came retired arsenic trans successful 2016 and proudly referenced her modulation successful her Werkroom entrance. Strutting successful a achromatic mini formal and level heels, Jiggly declared, “Well parent did say, ‘May the champion woman win.’”

“Coming retired arsenic a trans pistillate was a immense value lifted disconnected of my shoulders. Now I cognize who I americium arsenic an entertainer. I cognize who I americium arsenic a queen. I cognize who I americium arsenic a idiosyncratic and I’m coming afloat force,” she said successful her archetypal confessional. “Get ready.”

Jiggly’s clip connected “All Stars” did not past precise agelong — she was eliminated successful the 2nd occurrence — but the opportunities did not halt there. She served arsenic a justice connected “Drag Race Philippines” since its premiere successful 2022, tapping into her ain experiences to connection competitors pugnacious emotion and constructive disapproval successful English and Tagalog.

Beyond “Drag Race,” Jiggly besides concisely pursued euphony and appeared successful respective TV series. In FX’s Peabody-winning “Pose,” she appeared arsenic a subordinate of the House of Ferocity. She shared the surface with stars including Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson and Billy Porter. Her acting credits besides see “Search Party,” “Playing House,” the movie “Milkwater” and respective euphony videos.

“My benignant usually don’t marque it [past] 35. I’ve honestly lived a rollercoaster of a life,” Jiggly said successful an Instagram station celebrating her 44th birthday. “Good the atrocious everything has made maine the pistillate I americium today. Hopefully much to come.”

Jiggly Caliente’s household said her “legacy is 1 of love, courage, and light. Though her carnal beingness is gone, the joyousness she shared and the abstraction she helped make for truthful galore volition stay forever.

“She volition beryllium profoundly missed, ever loved, and eternally remembered.”