Jiggly Caliente: 5 Things to Know About the Late Drag Performer

Caliente, whose real name was Bianca Castro, died when she was 44 in April 2025. We’re remembering the former ‘Drag Race Philippines’ judge here.

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Jiggly Caliente rose to prominence as a drag performer, singer, TV personality and activist long before she starred on RuPaul’s Drag Race. While the show helped jump start her stardom, Jiggly — whose real name was Bianca Castro-Arabejo — steadily climbed the ladder of television over time, even appearing in a Saturday Night Live sketch. But amid her success, Jiggly unfortunately died at the age of 44 in April 2025, seemingly from an unknown infection that, according to her family, resulted in a leg amputation.

Hollywood Life has compiled five facts about Jiggly as we look back on her life and career.

Jiggly Caliente Was From the Philippines

Born in San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines, Jiggly eventually moved to the United States with her family. She was raised in Sunnyside, Queens, New York City.

Jiggly’s Drag Name Was Inspired by a Pokemon Character

Jiggly revealed that she adopted her original stage name, Jiggly Puff, from the Pokemon character Jigglypuff, she told The Socialite Life in 2019.

Jiggly Caliente Starred in Pose

Apart from reality TV, Jiggly also starred as Veronica Ferocity in the FX show Pose.

Jiggly Caliente Got Expelled From School in First Grade

Jiggly once revealed that she got expelled from school after stabbing another student with her pencil because he allegedly body-shamed her.

“Well, when I was in first grade, I actually got expelled from school because of the way I dealt with a bully,” Jiggly said in a past interview. “This kid kept poking at my stomach and calling me fat, so … I asked the teacher if i could sharpen my pencil. I sharpened my pencil and I waited for him to do something. Sure enough, he poked me and said, ‘Hey porker, porker, porker!’ and I stabbed him in the hand with my pencil. …  And I got expelled from school.”

Jiggly Caliente Died After a ‘Serious’ Infection

In April 2025, Jiggly was hospitalized for an unknown infection and had her leg amputated, the late drag performer’s family announced in an Instagram statement.

“The family of Bianca Castro, known to many as the beloved drag performer Jiggly Caliente, is heartbroken to share that over the last month Bianca has experienced a serious health setback,” the statement read. “Due to a severe infection, she was hospitalized and, as a result, has undergone the loss of most of her right leg.”

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A post shared by Jiggly Caliente (@jigglycalienteofficial)

Three days later, Jiggly’s family revealed she had died. According to a separate Instagram statement, they wrote, “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Bianca Castro-Arabejo, known to the world and cherished by many as Jiggly Caliente. Bianca passed away peacefully on April 27, 2025, at 4:42 am, surrounded by her loving family and close friends.”

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