Becker

“She really saved my life,” he said of Becker, whose name Bernthal has lovingly tattooed on his forearm, along with the emblem for the Moscow Art Theatre, a seagull in flight.

In college he “took a theater course really by accident,” taught by his future mentor Alma Becker.

Bernthal was kicked out of college, but Becker stuck by him and helped get him into the prestigious Moscow Art Theatre program in 1999.

Carolyn Becker, a spokesperson for the California Lottery said the organization hasn’t yet confirmed the identity or validity of the winner, noting that the verification process can take weeks.

“We never announce winners until the claims and vetting process is over,” Becker said.