Elisabeth Moss: Redford turned my mind to mush

Elisabeth Moss became an "idiot" when she first encountered Robert Redford.

The 32-year-old actress is currently starring in Broadway show The Heidi Chronicles as title role Heidi Holland, a successful historian. She was briefly joined by the iconic actor on stage and admits nerves got the better of her when they interacted away from the curtains.

"I was incredibly star struck; he's obviously a legend - such a class act, such a gentleman. But it is funny talking to him because he is such a legend and you sort of forget for a second and then he talks about, oh, 'The time that I bought the land that became Sundance,' you know?" she explained to talk show host David Letterman, referring to his founding of the Utah-based Sundance Film Festival, named after his movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

"The man has a channel! He's a legend. You'd be surprised when you're talking to Robert Redford what an idiot you become. He'd be like, 'Good morning', and I'd be like, what does one say to good morning?! 'How are you?' and just blank. I would just mumble something."

It's Elisabeth's role as secretary and copywriter Peggy Olson in 60s-set drama Mad Men that the actress is best known for. The show has made a household name out of her and co-stars such as Jon Hamm, who is also a talented baseball player.

His talents with a bat and ball came in especially handy when Elisabeth agreed to take on a sporting role away from the camera - throwing the first pitch for the Chicago Cubs.

"I got Jon Hamm to coach me, 'cause he's a baseball player. So we went to Central Park and he coached me and nobody saw us... Which is weird because it's like Don [Draper, Jon's Mad Men character] and Peggy playing baseball in Central Park - no one cared! He taught me how, or tried to teach me, how to not bounce it," she laughed.