A dog lover from New York has gone from unknown to sought-after designer after Mickey Rourke turned up at a host of spots over Oscar weekend sporting a necklace she made.
Betina Wassermann, from Queens, New York, designed and made the glass necklace featuring a photo of the Best Actor Oscar nominee’s late and much-beloved pooch, Loki, which Mickey also wore to Film Independent’s Spirit Awards last Saturday.
According to the New York Post, Wasserman, a marketing manager who designs on the weekends, crafted the necklace made of glass and silver on her own steam.
“I lost my dog, Igor, four months ago, and I’m still crying myself to sleep. I need to see a psychiatrist,” the 40-something told the paper. “So when my colleague told me Loki died, I knew I had to make one for him. I knew how much he loved his dog and it was so horrible to lose her right before the Oscars.”
After scouring the net and using her friends for help, Betina managed to get a hold of Mickey’s publicist and sent off the necklace, which prompted a call from the actor just one day later.
“He says, ‘Hi, I’m Mickey Rourke,’ and I thought I was going to throw up,” Betina told the Post. “Then he said that was such a kind gesture and then he says, ‘I got it on and I ain’t takin’ it off.’”
And watching Mickey wear the necklace on the Oscars red carpet was also a welcome surprise.
“I’m just some girl from Queens who crafts on the weekends. When I saw it at the Oscars and Ryan Seacrest commented on it, I thought I was going to have a heart attack,” she said. “That necklace got more press than frickin’ Fred Leighton million-dollar diamonds!”
Betina sells similar necklaces at local swap meets and craft events and on her Web site, www.WickedWorld.Etsy.com.
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