Prince Estate Settles Trademark Lawsuit With ‘Purple Rain’ Star Apollonia

Prince’s estate reached an undisclosed settlement with Patty Kotero over her use of the “Apollonia” name.

Prince’s estate has settled a trademark lawsuit filed by actress, singer, and former Prince collaborator Patty Kotero, better known as Apollonia.

On April 8, Kotero told a Los Angeles federal court she would drop the lawsuit, with her attorney Daniel Cislo confirming a settlement the next day and saying she was “very pleased with the outcome,” Reuters reports.

“We are pleased to report that the case has been settled and that our client, Apollonia, is very pleased with the outcome,” lawyer Daniel M. Cislo said in a statement. “Apollonia is very happy that the parties can continue to honour the legacy of Prince and his musical genius. In a time of so much conflict, it is very good to see people coming together to resolve their dispute.”

Kotero sued Prince’s estate in California last August, seeking a ruling that she owns the “Apollonia” name and arguing the estate was too late to challenge her trademark. The singer, who played Prince’s love interest in the 1984 film “Purple Rain,” said the estate filed for a federal “Apollonia” trademark covering clothing and entertainment, and also asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel her existing trademark, citing contracts she signed in the early 1980s.

As Apollonia, Kotero released an album with Prince’s group, Apollonia 6, and collaborated on “Manic Monday” by The Bangles, while also starring in “Purple Rain.” She said they remained friends until his death in 2016, and that she now hosts the podcast “Apollonia Studio 6.”

Prince’s estate responded to Kotero’s lawsuit in October, saying it never tried to stop her from using the name and calling the case an improper attempt to sidestep a potential ruling by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A California court had been set to hear the estate’s motion to dismiss on April 10, but both sides reached a settlement before the hearing.