Nnamdi Asomugha is, believe it or not, a football player. Not real football, but rather the pigskin throwing variety. He organized a trip for 10 kids from Oakland to go on a tour of some select NY locations like Julliard and Columbia University. Top of the list was getting to spend half an hour with Bill Clinton. Actually, screw that, top of the list was having Natalie and Pooch join them for a walk down 5th Avenue. Read about it here and here.

To Brandon, even a heart-to-heart with the former president couldn’t compare with the last-day surprise. Asomugha told the group his friend Natalie would be joining them for a planned stroll down Fifth Avenue. He neglected to mention that her last name was Portman.

“Oh my god, I almost had a heart attack,” Brandon said. “I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

The actress spoke to the kids about rejection. There will be times, she said, lots of times, when others will say you can’t accomplish something.

They’re wrong, was Portman’s message. Keep Trying.

My friends and family talked me out of my dream to fly off my rooftop like Superman but with Natalie’s words of wisdom buzzing on my ears, its time to pull on the spandex and keep trying! Screw the safety net this time, its clearly psychologically holding me back.