POOR Carey Mulligan (Above) - and we mean it quite literally.

After splitting from US actor Shia LaBeouf, the 25-year-old British actress has set up home temporarily in a budget Best Western motel close to a red-light district off Hollywood Boulevard, paying the equivalent of less than S$150 a night.

Mulligan found herself homeless after moving out of the US$2.9 million (S$3.8 million) mansion she shared with LaBeouf, her co-star in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.

She has had to remain in Los Angeles to work on her new movie Drive, but is planning to move back to the UKonce filming ends.

Mulligan is reportedly staying in a standard room in the establishment and survives on takeaway food from a local supermarket.

A staff member told the Daily Mail: "This is more a place for backpackers, students and those on a budget.

"We pride ourselves on being clean and tidy, but this is a long way from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

"I was stunned when I saw Carey walking across the lobby. You would expect her to stay at the Four Seasons, not here.

"She is very easy-going. She hasn't made any special requests and doesn't ask to be treated any differently.

She keeps to herself and seems quite happy here."

Peta dangles rehab carrot

Officials at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) have offered to help cash-strapped Lindsay Lohan pay for her rehab treatment if she eats a vegan diet for the remainder of her stay.

The 24-year-old US actress has been in and out of jail and rehab this year and is currently serving a three-month stint at California's Betty Ford Center after failing two court-ordered drug tests.

Lohan's recent probation report stated she fears she will be unable to pay the US$53,000 (S$68,600) fees for her rehab stay because she "cannot afford it".

Peta executives have now reached out to Lohan and offered a solution to her financial woes - they will give her US$10,000 if she cuts animal products from her diet until she is released from rehab in January.

They have promised her another $10,000 if she remains a vegan for a year afterwards.

Peta president Ingrid Newkirk told the Los Angeles Times: "Lindsay Lohan is the most visible example of a real addict, and if she can conquer her addiction to meat and cheese, absolutely anyone can.

"If she does, she'll not only save animals but save her own health, and she'll be an example to the millions of people who watch her every step."

She refuses $1.3m birthday cake

Kim Kardashian celebrated her 30th birthday two weeks ago with four cakes. But the US reality star turned down a fifth cake that was slated to be presented to her because it cost a whopping US$1 million (S$1.3 million).

According to Us Weekly, Nino Selimaj of New York City eatery Nino created the pricey diamond-encrusted confection, which was to be unveiled at a press conference at Glo nightclub, as a gift to Kardashian.

Kardashian angrily wrote on her blog: "I would never allow anyone to spend that much money on a cake.

Making a million-dollar birthday cake is just ridiculous! I'd rather they give me a cupcake and donate the rest of the money to the homeless!"

The press conference was subsequently cancelled and the cake ended up being "offered to customers".

A spokesman for Glo said: "The restaurateur and jeweller wanted to break the record for the most expensive cake and they wanted to surprise Kim. They've been working so hard on it and still want to present it to the public... Of course they won't force her to accept it, it was just meant to be a fun surprise."