Patti Astor

Patti Astor, born around 1950, is a notable American actress recognized for her influential contributions to the underground film movement in New York City during the 1970s and the vibrant East Village art scene of the 1980s. She also played a significant role in the early days of hip hop culture as a co-founder of the Fun Gallery, an instrumental contemporary art space.

Astor's artistic journey began in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she became a charter member of the Cincinnati Civic Ballet. At eighteen, she moved to New York City to attend Barnard College but soon left to engage actively in the anti-Vietnam War movement with the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). After a period of activism, she toured the U.S. and Europe with her dance performance, "A Diamond As Big As The Ritz."

In 1975, Astor returned to New York, immersing herself in the city's dynamic cultural landscape, which included punk rock at CBGB's and new wave music at the Mudd Club. She studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute and emerged as a prominent figure in the downtown scene, featuring in over a dozen experimental films, including Amos Poe's "Unmade Beds" (1976) and Eric Mitchell's "Underground U.S.A." (1980). However, her most celebrated role was as Virginia, a reporter in Charles Ahearn's iconic film "Wild Style," which bridged the worlds of rap, graffiti, and art.

Astor's work is preserved in esteemed institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum, with "Wild Style" earning a spot as one of the top rock and roll films of all time.