THE man dressed as a dog in the hit TV comedy Wilfred is being feted in Hollywood, but back in Australia he is threatening to go into bankruptcy if he is forced to pay the medical expenses of a man he bashed in 2007.

Actor Jason Gann's dog-suited character Wilfred won a record audience last week for the US premiere of the American version of his show, where he plays opposite Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood and earns $US195,000 ($A182,000) per six-month season.

Actor Jason Gann says he would be forced into bankruptcy if he has to pay the medical expenses of a man he bashed.

The success prompted him to boast to newspaper MX that his career was taking off.

''I did the red carpet and it was just bang, bang, bang, people taking photos and it was surreal,'' Gann said.