KaladKaren


Jervi Wrightson, also known as Jervi Li and better known by her stage name KaladKaren, is a Filipino award-winning actress, TV host, writer, endorser, impersonator, LGBTQ 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.

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.

Career

In 2012, Wrightson 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

In 2016, Wrightson impersonated Karen Davila in the Philippine presidential election, as part of a political satire event led by UP Diliman. She would be known as KaladKaren due to her portrayal, a humorous pun combining "Karen" and Tagalog wikt:kaladkarin.
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.
In June 2023, she joined Frontline Pilipinas on TV5 as a presenter for the Showbiz and Trivia segment, using the screen name "KaladKaren".

Acting career

In 2011, Wrightson appeared in the GMA's comedy horror anthology Spooky Nights: Bampirella along with stars Marian Rivera, Mikael Daez, and Gelli de Belen.
In 2023, Wrightson would act in Here Comes the Groom which premiered at the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film Festival. 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. 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.
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.
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

Wrightson is an advocate of LGBTQ rights. She got engaged to boyfriend Luke Wrightson in 2020. On September 8, 2024, the two got married in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

Filmography

Television

Radio

Film

Other credits