KaladKaren

(Redirected from Jervi Li)

Jervi Wrightson[2] (born Jervi Ryan Lisaba;[3] August 9, 1992), 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]

KaladKaren
KaladKaren in 2023
Born
Jervi Ryan Lisaba

(1992-08-09) August 9, 1992 (age 32)
NationalityFilipino
Other names
  • Jervi Li
  • KaladKaren Davila
EducationUniversity of the Philippines Diliman(BA Broadcast Communication magna cum laude)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • News Anchor
  • TV Host
Years active2011–present
AgentStar Magic (2023–present)[1]
Known forTrailblazer in the Philippine LGBTQIA+ community, Transgender woman in the mainstream media, Award-wining actress
Spouse
Luke Wrightson
(m. 2024)
WebsiteKaladKaren on Instagram

Education

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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

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In 2012, KaladKaren (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.

TV host and personality career

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In 2016, Jervi impersonated Karen Davila in the Philippine presidential election, as part of a political satire event led by the University of the Philippines.[8] She would be known as KaladKaren due to her portrayal.

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.[9]

In June 2023, she joined Frontline Pilipinas on TV5 as a presenter for the Showbiz and Trivia segment.

Acting career

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In 2011, KaladKaren (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.

In 2023, KaladKaren would act in Here Comes the Groom which premiered at the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film Festival.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12] 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.

Personal life

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KaladKaren identifies as a transgender woman and advocate of LGBT rights.[13][14] She has been engaged to boyfriend Luke Wrightson since 2020.[15] On September 8, 2024, she and Wrightson got married in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom.[16]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Station
2011 Spooky Nights: Bampriella Megan Pak GMA Network
2012 The Amazing Race Philippines 1 Herself TV5
2017 Pasada Sais Trenta Herself / Guest DZMM TeleRadyo
2017–2019 Gandang Gabi, Vice! Guest ABS-CBN
2018–2020 Umagang Kay Ganda Co-host
2019 Banana Sundae Herself
2019–2021 I Can See Your Voice Herself / SINGvestigator ABS-CBN
Kapamilya Channel
A2Z
2022 It's Showtime Jury Kapamilya Channel
A2Z
TV5
2022–present Drag Race Philippines Herself / Judge Discovery+ and HBO Go (Philippines)
BalitaOneNan KaladKaren Dadilat BuKo
2023 Headstart with Karen Davila Herself / Guest ABS-CBN News Channel
TV Patrol Herself / Guest Segment Anchor "Star Patrol" Kapamilya Channel
A2Z
ABS-CBN News Channel
TeleRadyo
Family Feud Herself/Guest GMA Network
Drag You & Me Gerardo Pallan / Miranda Kalaw-Forbes iWantTFC
Fit Check Barbie Amazon Prime Video
2023 Fractured Herself iWantTFC
E.A.T. Herself / Segment Co-Host TV5
RPTV
One PH
2023–present Frontline Pilipinas Herself / Segment Anchor "Showbiz Eto Na Nga" and "K-alaman"

Radio

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Year Title Role Station
2017 Pasada Sais Trenta Herself / Guest DZMM
2023 Ang Tinig N'yo Guest Co-host DWPM

Film

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Year Title Role
2017 Gandarrapiddo: The Revenger Squad KaladKaren Davila (reporter)
2018 The Girl in the Orange Dress Ogie
2023 Here Comes the Groom Wilhelmina

Other credits

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Awards and nominations

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Year Work Award Category Result Source
2023 Here Comes the Groom 1st Summer Metro Manila Film Festival Best Supporting Actress Won [12]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Credited as Jervi Lisaba.

References

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  1. ^ "KaladKaren inks contract with ABS-CBN's Star Magic". ABS-CBN News. June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  2. ^ Adina, Armin P. (October 1, 2024). "Kaladkaren no more? Anchor debuts married name in post-wedding news duty". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  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. ^ "Judge KaladKaren completes the 'Drag Race Philippines' trinity". Preen.ph. July 20, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ a b "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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ 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.
  15. ^ Bernardino, Stephanie (September 10, 2020). "#LoveWins: Kaladkaren announces engagement to British boyfriend". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  16. ^ "In Photos: Kaladkaren's wedding with fiancé Luke Wrightson". ABS-CBN News. September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Anarcon, James Patrick (October 28, 2017). "Will KaladKaren sign an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN?". PEP.ph. Retrieved July 5, 2023.