Apollonia Kotero
She became an overnight symbol of 80s cool as Prince's muse and the frontwoman of Apollonia 6, immortalized in the film Purple Rain.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American singer and actress·Birthday: August 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Born Patricia Kotero in Santa Monica, California, Apollonia's journey to fame was a classic Hollywood story of reinvention. After working as a model and actress under her birth name, her life changed dramatically when she was cast opposite Prince in his semi-autobiographical rock drama, 'Purple Rain.' Adopting the single name Apollonia, she didn't just act in the film; she became the lead singer of the fictional (and later real) girl group Apollonia 6, created by Prince. The film's massive success catapulted her into the pop culture stratosphere, making her teased hair, leather, and lace an iconic look of the era. While her subsequent acting and singing career operated in the long shadow of that defining role, her portrayal of the aspiring singer struggling under The Kid's tutelage remains a pivotal piece of 1980s music cinema. Her later work included roles in TV series and B-movies, but her legacy is permanently etched in the purple hue of one of the decade's most influential films.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Apollonia was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Apollonia Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Apollonia's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as the female lead, Apollonia, in Prince's landmark 1984 film and album 'Purple Rain.'
- Served as the lead singer for the Prince-created girl group Apollonia 6, which released a self-titled album in 1984.
- Her image and performance in 'Purple Rain' helped define the fashion and aesthetic of mid-1980s pop culture.
Did You Know?
She was originally cast in a role for the film 'Purple Rain' that was later cut; Prince then created the character of Apollonia specifically for her.
She was a successful model before her acting career, appearing in magazines and commercials.
She is a certified scuba diver.
“Prince gave me the name Apollonia, and it changed everything.”
