Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr.. was left speechless after meeting his idol, legendry director Steven Spielberg.

The actor was in between takes for his forthcoming movie The Soloist, where he plays an inquisitive journalist, when Spielberg dropped by for a chat.

But despite waiting 25 years to meet his hero Downey Jr couldn't manage more than a few words. He says, "I couldn't believe it. He's over by the monitors and I'm like 'Jesus Christ, there he is' and he talks to me about a couple of things and then he leaves the set and I'm like 'God darn it! I've only been waiting 25 years to have one of those moments.'"

'The Soloist' is based on the true story of musical prodigy Nathaniel Ayers, who developed schizophrenia in his second year at Juilliard and ended up homeless on the streets of downtown L.A. where he performs the violin and cello. The drama is based on the relationship the musician developed with Steve Lopez, a Los Angeles Times reporter whose column informed the script, as did a book Lopez is writing that Putnam will publish in the spring.