Last month, the co-star of the Purple Rain film Patricia Kotero, more commonly known as ‘Apollonia’, filed a lawsuit against Paisley Park Enterprises, the company managing Prince’s estate, alleging that the estate is “attempting to steal” her name and take ownership of the name defining her career.
Kotero, who played the love interest named Apollonia in Purple Rain, claims that she has performed, sold merchandise and been recognised by the Apollonia name since the 1980s, holding multiple federal trademark registrations and hosting a podcast using the name to this day. She has stated that Prince himself encouraged her to use the name ‘Apollonia’ in her professional endeavours.
The claim appears to have been filed off the back of Paisley Park Enterprises’ most recent filing with the USPTO for use of ‘Apollonia’ for clothing and entertainment services in June 2025. However, the estate has also previously filed actions with the US Trade Mark Trial and Appeal Board to cancel Kotero’s ‘Apollonia’ related registrations in 2018 and 2021. Kotero has called this an ‘aggressive campaign’ by Prince’s estate who objected on the basis that they allege she is not the rightful owner of the ‘Apollonia’ trade mark.
In recent court filings, the estate has explained that it has no intention of stopping Kotero from using the ‘Apollonia’ name, nor to ask her to cease any of her business activities but that her trademark conflicts with their own registration for ‘Apollonia 6’ as a trademark, which is the name of the band created for the Purple Rain film. Further to this, it is alleged that Kotero transferred her rights in the name to Prince in the 1980’s.
The estate claims that Kotero obtained the ‘Apollonia’ trade mark during the chaotic period following Prince’s death. It was alleged by their team that following the death of the star in 2016, there were multiple instances of trade mark registrations by individuals with no ownership interest in marks which rightfully belonged to Prince. Paisley Park Enterprises have asked that the case be dismissed for lack of subject matter and jurisdiction, and have insisted that they have not asked that Kotero stop using the Apollonia name but are instead happy to coexist.
If you have any questions on the above, please do not hesitate to contact the team at McDaniels Law on 0191 281 4000 or legal@mcdanielslaw.com.
