AceShowbiz - Former "Mad Men" star Bryan Batt has praised fellow gay actor Neil Patrick Harris for 'coming out' - because the masses rarely accept homosexuals in Hollywood. The 46-year-old has been openly gay throughout his career, and has been dating partner Tom Cianfichi for two decades.

But Batt is adamant that being openly gay is a tough choice for stars - and he urges more homosexual celebrities to follow former child star Harris' lead and be honest. He tells The Huffington Post, "God love Neil Patrick Harris. How good is that? People grew up with him, they go, 'Oh it's him, it's that little boy, and he just happens to be gay. How great for him!' The more of those kind of examples that happen, the better it's going to be."

"If you are openly gay, the masses can be asses and sometimes can't get past the fact that that's how someone lives their private life. Some actors have to make a choice. If they have the opportunity to become these huge megastars, making millions and millions of dollars and have to live a lie, that's a choice they have to make."