Prince estate settles trademark lawsuit by 'Purple Rain' actress Apollonia

ReutersApr 9, 2026 2:58 PM

By Blake Brittain

April 9 (Reuters) - Actress, singer and former Prince collaborator Patty Kotero, better known as Apollonia, has settled her trademark lawsuit against the rock legend's estate over the rights to the "Apollonia" name, according to her attorney.

Kotero told a Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday that she would dismiss her lawsuit. Her attorney Daniel Cislo said on Thursday that the dispute had been settled and said that she was "very pleased with the outcome."

Spokespeople and attorneys for Prince's estate did not immediately respond to a request for comment and more information on Thursday.

Kotero, as Apollonia, appeared as Prince's love interest in his 1984 film "Purple Rain," released an album with the Prince-created group Apollonia 6 and co-wrote the Bangles' hit "Manic Monday" with the rock legend. She said in the lawsuit that she was friends with Prince until he died in 2016. She currently hosts the podcast "Apollonia Studio 6."

Kotero said that Prince's estate applied for a federal "Apollonia" trademark last year covering clothing and entertainment services. The estate also asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel Kotero's Apollonia trademark, alleging it owned the rights to the name based on contracts she signed in 1983 and 1984.

Kotero sued Prince's estate in California court last August. She asked the court to determine that she owns the "Apollonia" name and argued that the estate was time-barred from challenging her trademark rights.

Prince's estate responded in October that it had never sought to block Kotero from using the name and called the lawsuit an improper attempt to circumvent a potential USPTO ruling against her.

The California court had been scheduled to hear arguments on the estate's request to dismiss the case on Friday.

The case is Kotero v. Paisley Park Enterprises LLC, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, No. 2:25-cv-07769.

For Kotero: Daniel Cislo and Katherine Bond of Cislo & Thomas

For Prince's estate: Jeffrey Norberg, Amber Brumfiel and Rochelle Claerbaut of Neal & McDevitt

'Purple Rain' co-star Apollonia sues Prince estate over use of her name

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