Bianca Castro-Arabejo, a star of reality and drag interpreter known by the name of the Jiggy Caliente stage, has died at the age of 44.
Castro-Arabejo’s family shared the news on Instagramstating that the star died “surrounded by his loving family and intimate friends” on Sunday morning. The news brings a sudden and unexpected end to the 20-year-old Castro-Arabic career, which included appearances in “Rupaul’s Drag Race” and several spinoffs, and a recurring role in the “Pose” television drama.
“His legacy is a love, courage and light,” the statement said. “Although his physical presence has disappeared, the joy he shared and the space he helped to create for so many will remain forever.”
Castro-Arabejo’s family had shared a serious Health Update On the interpreter a few days earlier, announcing that he had lost “most of the right leg” due to a “severe infection”. As a result, the publication announced that Castro-Arabejo will not appear as a judge in the next season of “Drag Race Philippines” as planned.
Working as a judge of the spinoff “Race Race” returned to Castro-Arabejo at his place of birth in the previous seasons of the program; The performer immigrated to New York from the Philippines as a child. Throughout his decades, he appeared in three different versions of the “Race Race” television series: First as a contestant in “Rupaul’s Drag Race” and “Rupaul’s Drag Race All Stars”, and then as a judge in “Drag Race Philipines”.
“We are devastated by the passage of Jiggly Caliente, an appreciated member of Race Race’s family,” reads a statement of “Rupaul’s Drag Race” on Instagram. “His talent, his truth and the impact will never be forgotten, and his legacy will continue to be killed -we are always maintaining his family, friends and fans near our hearts during this difficult moment.”
Castro-Arabejo came out as a transgender in 2016, and then said Billboard It was happening while I was in “Race Race” but “I wanted to keep my personal life and my life separate.”
“I didn’t want it to be my story, because being a trans woman is not what defines me, and she didn’t want her to be a trans woman who had anything to do with the show,” she said.
Castro-Arabejo’s family published an additional statement Via instagram On Monday he revealed on current plans for both public and public services. The publication also asked the fans to give to a Goofundme Page that raises money to help pay the costs related to the funeral, commemorative services, medical invoices and “related expenses”. His family stated that they would give surplus money to causes that Castro-Arabejo “was deeply concerned-causes who fought for people who struggled every day.”
“We want to honor the way he lived: strong, proud, full of color, full of heart,” says the most recent statement. “We are gathering a celebration of life that will be a true reflection of his spirit, not only of crying his loss, but celebrating the incredible and unstoppable life he lived.”