Apollonia Kotero | |
|---|---|
 Kotero at theLos Angeles Fashion Week in 2008 | |
| Born | Patricia Kotero[1] (1959-08-02)August 2, 1959 (age 66) Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Apollonia |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | |
| Spouse | |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Formerly of | Apollonia 6 |
Musical artist | |
Patricia Apollonia Kotero (born August 2, 1959) is an American actress, singer, and former model.[2] She is known for co-starring inPrince's 1984 filmPurple Rain and for having been the lead singer of thegirl groupApollonia 6.[3]
Kotero was born inSan Pedro, California, the daughter of immigrants from Mexico, and the eldest of four children. Her father, Victor, was a restaurant manager, and her mother, Socorro, was a caregiver for the elderly. She dropped out of high school at 16 to pursue a career as a model.[4]
Kotero worked as an actress, singer, and model. After winning the MissSan Pedro beauty competition, and following her stint as a cheerleader for theLos Angeles Rams in the early 1980s, Kotero began acting in film and television series such asCHiPs,Tales of the Gold Monkey,Fantasy Island,Matt Houston, andKnight Rider. In September 1982, she appeared in the music video "Shakin'" byEddie Money. In May 1984, she appeared in theABC television filmThe Mystic Warrior as the Native American woman Wicahpi. While datingVan Halen singerDavid Lee Roth, on and off when they were both in Los Angeles, she auditioned forPurple Rain. Roth had followed her modeling career and hired her for aStar of the Cars magazine cover.
When then-leader ofVanity 6,Denise "Vanity" Matthews, resigned from its membership before Prince's 1984 filmPurple Rain was filmed, Kotero landed the film's female lead role. Vanity 6, which was renamed Apollonia 6 for the film, also featured supporting singersBrenda Bennett and Prince's then-girlfriendSusan Moonsie. Apollonia 6 embarked on a worldwide tour to promote their hit single "Sex Shooter".
Kotero claims to have co-written "Manic Monday" (unverified) with Prince,[5] which later became a worldwide hit single forThe Bangles. Prince's song "Take Me with U" featured vocals by Kotero, with help fromLisa Coleman andJill Jones, and it reached number 25 on theBillboard Top 40 chart in the United States.
In 1985, Kotero left Prince's camp to appear on the seriesFalcon Crest,[3] playing Apollonia, the girlfriend of the character played byLorenzo Lamas. She performed several solo songs, including "Red Light Romeo", written and composed byJon Lind.
In 1988,Warner Bros. Records released Kotero's eponymously titled first solo album,Apollonia.[6][7] Three singles were taken from the album: "Since I Fell for You", "The Same Dream" and "Mismatch".
She went on to appear in such films asMinistry of Vengeance (1989),[8]Back to Back (1990),Black Magic Woman (1991), and two Italian productions:La Donna di una Sera (A Lady for a Night) (1991) andCattive Ragazze (1992). She returned to television on such shows asSliders andAir America (which co-starred Lorenzo Lamas, her former co-star inFalcon Crest), and also hosted The Jazz Channel'sLatin Beat program. During this period an exercise video entitledGo for It was also released. Kotero could also be seen onE!'sCelebrity Homes,The Test,Rendezview, andMTV Cribs, with her friendCarmen Electra.
In 2005, Kotero formed a multimedia entertainment company, Kotero Entertainment, which enlisted a number of producers to produce a children's animated television series as well as feature films. Kotero Entertainment also began managing young talent such as television and film star Sascha Andres and young pop singer Nikki Barreras, also known as Nikki B.
In 2009, Kotero's vocals appeared onThe Twilight Singers cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry" forSpin magazine's 25th anniversary tribute to thePurple Rain album,Purplish Rain.
Kotero sued Prince's estate, Paisley Park Enterprises, in August 2025 over the trademark rights of her stage name Apollonia after the estate filed for the trademark and requested that the trademark Kotero obtained in 2016 be cancelled. Prince's estate said the name originated for a character Prince created for the filmPurple Rain, and Kotero's trademark blocked them from selling merchandise using theApollonia 6 name, and they had no intent to block her from performing under the name. Kotero stated that Prince encouraged her to use the name and only she had been actively using it for previous four decades.[9][10]
In January 2022, Apollonia and her business partner Seth Neblett launched their YouTube podcast Apollonia Studio 6.[11][12][13] Over the last two seasons, they've hosted guests such asJill Jones,Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias,JoKoy,Apollonia 6,Tia Carrere,André Cymone,Joe Isgro,Diana-Maria Riva,Susannah Melvoin,DJ Vlad,Amanda Wyss, Anna Fantastic, LeRoy "Roy" Bennett,Autumn Rowe, and Duane Tudahl. The podcast received a Telly Award in 2023.
As of January 2024, the podcast has amassed 500,000 views and 10,000 subscribers.
Apollonia dated rock singerDavid Lee Roth during the filming ofPurple Rain.[14][15] She was married to actor, screenwriter, and directorKevin Bernhardt from 1987 to 1997.
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Dance | US R&B | |||
| "Take Me with U"(with Prince) | 1985 | 25 | — | 40 | Purple Rain |
| "Since I Fell for You" | 1988 | — | 6 | — | Apollonia |
| "Mismatch" | 1989 | — | 22 | — | |
| "The Same Dream" | — | 31 | — | ||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | La mafia de la frontera | Girl in Bikini | |
| 1980 | Tricks of the Trade | Frank | (as Patty Kotero) |
| Amor ciego | Patty (as Patty Kotero) | ||
| 1983 | Heartbreaker | Rose | (as Patty Kotero) |
| 1984 | The Mystic Warrior | Wicahpi | TV movie (as Patty Kotero) |
| Purple Rain | Apollonia | ||
| 1989 | Ministry of Vengeance | Zarah | |
| Back to Back | Jesse Duro | ||
| 1991 | Black Magic Woman | Cassandra Perry | |
| 1992 | A Woman's Secret | Barbara | (as Apollonia) |
| Cattive ragazze | Esmerelda | ||
| 1998 | Anarchy TV | Hot Tub Woman (as Apollonia) | |
| 2006 | The Divorce Ceremony | Sophia |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | CHiPs | Barbara | Episode: "Alarmed" (as Patti Kotero) |
| 1983 | Tales of the Gold Monkey | Native Girl | Episode: "Force of Habit" (as Patty Kotero) |
| Fantasy Island | Iya | Episode: "Love Island/The Sisters" (as Patty Kotero) | |
| Matt Houston | Gilda Rivera | Episode: "The Centerfold Murders" | |
| 1984 | Knight Rider | Tiara D'Arcy | Episode: "Mouth of the Snake" (as Patty Kotero) |
| 1984 | Late Night with David Letterman | Herself | Episode dated December 3, 1984 |
| 1985–86 | Falcon Crest | Apollonia | Recurring cast: season 5 |
| 1987 | Fantastico 8 | Herself | 4 episodes |
| 1988 | Showtime at the Apollo | Herself - Host | Episode S2.E9 |
| 1989 | American Bandstand | Herself | Episode S32.E5 |
| 1989 | Soul Train | Herself | Episode S18.E22 |
| 1997 | Sliders | Dr. Deera Mubaric | Episode: "Slide Like an Egyptian" (as Apollonia) |
| 1998 | Air America | Lucy Ortega | Episode: "Crosshairs" (as Apollonia) |
| 2001 | The Goods | Herself | Episode: "Fashion Crimes" |
| 2002 | VH-1 Where Are They Now? | Herself | Episode: "Girls, Girls, Girls" |
| 2002 | I Love the '80s | Herself | 7 episodes |
| 2003 | The Wayne Brady Show | Herself | Episode dated December 12, 2003 |
| 2014 | Life with La Toya | Herself | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Oprah: Where Are They Now? | Herself (as Apollonia) | Episode: "Oprah Talks toAndrea Yates' Husband; ActressAngie Harmon & Apollonia" |
