Apollonia Kotero, the actress and singer forever linked with Prince's 1984 Purple Rain, is taking the singer's estate to court — claiming it’s trying to strip her of the name that defined her career.
According to court documents filed on August 19, Kotero, whose full name is Patricia Apollonia Kotero, alleges that Paisley Park Enterprises, which manages Prince’s estate, has been working to “cancel” her trademark applications for the name Apollonia.
“In fact, Prince himself consented to and encouraged Apollonia in her professional endeavors as ‘Apollonia,’” the filing states, according to People. “If ever the fundamental principles of fairness – waiver, acquiescence, and laches apply, they apply here.”
Kotero rose to fame after starring opposite Prince in the cult classic Purple Rain. Since then, she has continued to use “Apollonia” as her professional identity, attaching it to her music, acting, and more recently, her podcast Apollonia Studio 6.
Apollonia Kotero in 2022. (Unique Nicole/FilmMagic)“There is only one Apollonia, and Apollonia is the source of the goods and services provided under this name,” the lawsuit reads. “Therefore, to protect her brand, Ms. Kotero owns several ‘Apollonia’ trademark applications and registrations.”
She claims Prince’s estate has been fighting her on that front by mounting “an aggressive campaign before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (‘USPTO’) and Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (‘TTAB’), attempting to cancel Apollonia’s trademark registrations and block her applications.”
If the estate succeeds, "it is highly likely Prince’s estate will demand Apollonia cease using her name and, if not, bring a trademark infringement action against her," the suit claims.
Kotero's attorney, Daniel Cislo, argued that “Prince and Apollonia were friends, and he wanted her to be successful as Apollonia.”
Cislo added that “all of the goodwill associated with the name and trademark ‘Apollonia’ for the past four decades is attributable to” Kotero.
“A judicial declaration is necessary to determine the respective rights of the parties regarding the asserted APOLLONIA trademarks,” the filing declared.
Prince died in April 2016 at the age of 57. His cause of death was ruled an accidental fentanyl overdose. With no heirs, his estate was divided between his siblings and the publishing company Primary Wave.
Kotero is asking the court to rule that her use of the name "Apollonia" does not infringe on any trademarks tied to the Prince estate — and that the estate has no right to interfere with how she promotes or markets her work.
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