Apollonia has reached a confidential settlement with Prince’s estate, ending her lawsuit that sought a court ruling affirming her right to use the name Prince gave her when she played his love interest in the iconic 1984 film Purple Rain. The parties filed a joint notice of dismissal Wednesday but kept the confidential deal under wraps, saying only that each side will cover its own legal fees and costs. But in a sign Apollonia will keep using the name, the estate simultaneously told the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office it was dropping its bid to cancel her “Apollonia 6” trademark, filings show. Cislo says in a statement to Rolling Stone. In a time of so much conflict, it is very good to see people coming together to resolve their dispute.” Apollonia, whose legal name is Patricia Kotero, alleged in her August lawsuit that estate representatives were “attempting to steal” her name.
She claimed it was “highly likely” the estate would sue her for trademark infringement unless she obtained a judicial declaration confirming her rights to the name and related marks. In her filings, Kotero said Prince never sought to trademark the name before his accidental fentanyl overdose in April 2016 at age 57. She argued it was therefore improper for the estate to assume control of the Apollonia trademark last June and to seek cancellation of her other registrations and applications in a proceeding before the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office. In a statement posted on the official Prince Instagram account, the estate said it had a duty to “protect and preserve Prince’s assets and legacy,” while expressing a desire to work amicably with Kotero. The estate said it had repeatedly tried to resolve the dispute privately and had offered her opportunities to perform at Paisley Park.
Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century Lawyers for the estate did not immediately respond to a request for comment today. The confidential settlement came two days before a scheduled hearing on the estate’s motion to dismiss. In a January filing, Kotero told the court Prince “would be appalled by the unbecoming conduct” of the estate.
She claimed Prince actively encouraged her to use and perform under the name Apollonia when they had a face-to-face meeting after his “Piano & a Microphone” concert in Oakland, California, in February 2016, two months before his death. In an October motion to dismiss, the estate said it had no intention of preventing Kotero from using the name. Trending Stories Why Is Everyone So Mad About Benny Blanco's Latin Album?
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