A week ago I was shown this article but held off on it, as I didn’t want it getting lost amongst all the Oscar hubbub. Oh, irony. In any case, this article has a bunch of quotes from people who went to high school with Natalie. There are some really great stories and it’s nice to hear how friendly and grounded she was as a kid.

Below is my favourite story as well as a photo from her graduation and another from the yearbook.

“My favorite memory is from when we were in the ninth grade, and we were in the same Social Studies class. One night she was on Late Show with David Letterman. She was asked about school, and she made a reference to her Social Studies teacher as being a weirdo (or something to that effect). He had told her to read “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac, and she explained to Letterman that she didn’t think that was age appropriate. The next morning the teacher walked into class, told us that according to national television he was a terrible teacher, sat down at the desk, folded his arms and put his head down. He sat like that for a few minutes, while a rather awkward silence pervaded the room. Natalie profusely apologized – and she really meant it wholeheartedly. It was quite a joke between students and faculty alike!”