KaladKaren

Last updated

KaladKaren
Kaldkaren 2023.jpg
KaladKaren in 2023
Born
Jervi Ryan Lisaba

(1988-08-09) August 9, 1988 (age 37)
Other names
  • Jervi Li
  • KaladKaren Davila
  • Jervi Wrightson
Education University of the Philippines Diliman (BA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • News Anchor
  • TV Host
Years active2011present
Agent Star Magic (2023–present) [1]
Known forFirst transgender news presenter in the Philippines
Spouse
Luke Wrightson
(m. 2024)
Website KaladKaren on Instagram

Jervi Wrightson [2] (born Jervi Ryan Lisaba; [3] August 9, 1988),[ citation needed ] also known as Jervi Li [4] [5] and better known by her stage name KaladKaren, is a Filipino award-winning actress, TV host, writer, endorser, impersonator, LGBT rights advocate, television personality and radio host most known for her queer representation in the mainstream media of the Philippines. She is a trailblazer in the Philippine LGBTQIA+ community; becoming the first transgender woman news anchor in the country and the first transgender woman to win 'Best Supporting Actress' at the Summer Metro Manila Film Festival. [6]

Contents

Education

Jervi graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City with magna cum laude honors and obtained a bachelor's degree in broadcast communication. [7]

Career

In 2012, Wrightson (credited as Jervi Li) and Saida Diola formed Team Amigas on the series The Amazing Race Philippines 1 on TV5. The team placed 5th after being eliminated in Boracay.[ citation needed ]

TV host and personality career

In 2016, Wrightson impersonated Karen Davila in the Philippine presidential election, as part of a political satire event led by UP Diliman. [8] She would be known as KaladKaren due to her portrayal, a humorous pun combining "Karen" and Tagalog kaladkarin (meaning "someone who gets persuaded easily into joining activities", literally "[something] dragged along"). [9]

She co-hosted the morning talk show of ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda and presented Pilipinas Got Talent Exclusives , The Voice Kids Digi TV , The Voice Teens Digi TV and Trabahanap. She was also a mainstay of the program I Can See Your Voice and served as a resident judge on Drag Race Philippines . [10]

In June 2023, she joined Frontline Pilipinas on TV5 as a presenter for the Showbiz and Trivia segment, using the screen name "KaladKaren". [2]

Acting career

In 2011, Wrightson (credited as Jervi Li) appeared in the GMA's comedy horror anthology Spooky Nights: Bampirella along with stars Marian Rivera, Mikael Daez, and Gelli de Belen.[ citation needed ]

In 2023, Wrightson would act in Here Comes the Groom which premiered at the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film Festival. [11] In the film, she portrayed Wilhelmina who was also a trans woman like herself. Her character switched bodies with Junior, the protagonist which was portrayed by Enchong Dee hence she had to act like a man for parts of the film to fulfill the role. [12] She won the best supporting actress award in the festival, becoming the first trans woman to win the said award and second to win in an actress category award in the Philippine film industry after Iyah Mina in 2018. [13]

After her marriage in September 2024, Wrightson changed her screen name from Kaladkaren to her real name, Jervi Wrightson, during an announcement on Frontline Pilipinas. [14] [2]

She appeared in the iWantTFC miniseries such as Drag You & Me and Fit Check and is played by herself to make a supporting character was denoted by a cameo appearance in the drama-suspense thriller miniseries, Fractured, along with co-stars by Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Jeremiah Lisbo, Kaori Oinuma, Raven Rigor, Sean Tristan, and Daniela Stranner.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Wrightson is an advocate of LGBT rights. [15] [16] She got engaged to boyfriend Luke Wrightson in 2020. [17] On September 8, 2024, the two got married in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom. [18]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRole
2011 Spooky Nights: Bampriella Megan Pak
2012 The Amazing Race Philippines 1 Herself
2017Pasada Sais TrentaHerself / Guest
2017–2019 Gandang Gabi, Vice! Guest
2018–2020 Umagang Kay Ganda Co-host
2019 Banana Sundae Herself
2019–2021 I Can See Your Voice Herself / SINGvestigator
2022 It's Showtime Jury
2022–present Drag Race Philippines Herself / Judge
BalitaOneNanKaladKaren Dadilat
2023Headstart with Karen DavilaHerself / Guest
TV Patrol Herself / Guest Segment Anchor "Star Patrol"
Family Feud Herself/Guest
Drag You & MeGerardo Pallan / Miranda Kalaw-Forbes
Fit CheckBarbie
FracturedHerself
E.A.T. Herself / Segment Co-Host
2023–present Frontline Pilipinas Herself / Segment Anchor "Showbiz Eto Na Nga" and "K-alaman" (as Jervi Wrightson)
2024 It's Showtime Herself / Guest Performer
2025 Rainbow Rumble Herself / Contestant
TBADrag Race Philippines: Slaysian RoyaleJudge

Radio

YearTitleRole
2017Pasada Sais TrentaHerself / Guest
2023Ang Tinig N'yoGuest Co-host

Film

YearTitleRole
2017 Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger Squad KaladKaren Davila (reporter)
2018 The Girl in the Orange Dress Ogie
2019 The Mall, the Merrier! Reporter
2023 Here Comes the Groom Wilhelmina
2025 Flower Girl Trans Fairy

Other credits

Awards and nominations

YearWorkAwardCategoryResultSource
2023 Here Comes the Groom 1st Summer Metro Manila Film Festival Best Supporting ActressWon [13]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Credited as Jervi Lisaba.

References

  1. "KaladKaren inks contract with ABS-CBN's Star Magic". ABS-CBN News. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Adina, Armin P. (October 1, 2024). "Kaladkaren no more? Anchor debuts married name in post-wedding news duty". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  3. Vice Ganda (host), KaledKaren; Cipriano, Kean; Kiray, Wacky; Bayani Agbayani (guests). SING-vestigators reveal their real names. Gandang Gabi, Vice! (TV broadcast) (in Filipino). ABS-CBN. Event occurs at 2:05–2:10. Retrieved July 19, 2023 via YouTube. Vice: Anong real name mo? / KaladKaren: Jervi Ryan / Vice: Taray! Last name mo Ryan? / KaladKaren: Hindi... Lisaba [Vice: What is your real name? KaladKaren: Jervi Ryan / Vice: Sassy! So your Last name is Ryan? / KaladKaren: No... Lisaba]
  4. "'My new family': KaladKaren is now part of Star Magic". ABS-CBN News. May 24, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  5. "KaladKaren signs with Star Magic, to go beyond impersonation". Philstar.com. June 29, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2023.
  6. Inocencio, Syrah Vivien (April 11, 2023). "KaladKaren first trans woman to win MMFF best supporting actress". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  7. "Kaladkaren turns emotional while showing Karen Davila her new home". ABS-CBN . May 15, 2022 [May 14, 2022].
  8. "KaladKaren shares before and after weight loss photos".
  9. Manipon, Roel Hoang (July 25, 2022). "KaladKaren is 'Drag Race Philippines' Judge". Daily Tribune. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  10. "Judge KaladKaren completes the 'Drag Race Philippines' trinity". Preen.ph. July 20, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  11. Pasajol, Anne (April 12, 2023). "KaladKaren makes history as first transwoman to win MMFF best supporting actress award". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  12. "Enchong Dee on gender-swapping role in 'Here Comes The Groom': "Ang hirap maging babae!"" [Enchong Dee on gender-swapping role in 'Here Comes The Groom': "It's hard to be a woman!"]. PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. March 30, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Kaladkaren, ikalawang trans woman na nanalo ng acting award sa Pilipinas" [Kaladkaren, second trans woman to win acting award in the Pilipinas]. PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  14. Sarmiento, Kate (October 4, 2024). "KaladKaren Proudly Introduces Jervi Wrightson To The World". Cosmopolitan Philippines. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  15. Cruz, Dana (August 27, 2022). "KaladKaren to fiance on their 10th anniversary: 'You're indeed the love of my life'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  16. Cruz, Dana (November 9, 2022). "KaladKaren on 'heterosexual rights' bill: 'It's not a pie, they aren't oppressed'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  17. Bernardino, Stephanie (September 10, 2020). "#LoveWins: Kaladkaren announces engagement to British boyfriend". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  18. "In Photos: Kaladkaren's wedding with fiancé Luke Wrightson". ABS-CBN News. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  19. Anarcon, James Patrick (October 28, 2017). "Will KaladKaren sign an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN?". PEP.ph. Retrieved July 5, 2023.