You know what's really, really expensive? Common sense.

Apparently even a whole bunch of Lala-Land millions can't buy much of it. Exhibit one: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Hollywood's most down-to-earth couple, spent more than a few year's college tuition on their daughter Suri's second birthday party.

The little toddler apparently needed $17 000 (over R130 000) spent on flowers for her big day, as well as $230 (more than R1700) on cupcakes and $5000 (almost R40 000) on other assorted cakes for Suri and her party guests. So, I guess it's only fitting that it was super in-demand celeb chef Wolfgang Puck who catered the kiddie birthday (not to mention a star-studded party later for the grown-ups – you have to relax, you know, after all that tiring spending).

And here I was under the impression that all two-year-olds needed for a fun party was some Fanta and hotdogs, and an ice-cream cake from Pick 'n' Pay.

What could be more embarrassing than throwing down vast sums of money on a tot's party? Having (fake) sex in front of a bunch of cameras.

No matter how together and confident they look on screen, even the smoothest actors get freaked at the idea of getting jiggy with it on set. 'Enchanted' star James Marsden doesn't even have any love scenes coming up – and he's still scared.

"It's so embarrassing with everyone watching you. It's the opposite of romantic. I already feel like the crew are judging me, so imagine doing a sex scene. They'd be thinking: 'Ooh, is that how he does it in real life?' Awful!" says Marsden. Just imagine – everyone you might ever sleep with can check out how good you are just by heading down to the video shop. A sobering thought.

At least James is already married, so he doesn't have too much to worry about. In fact, his wife sounds pretty awesome: "I don't know how I'd react if I was offered a part with a sex scene. My wife would tell me to do it, though. She wants people to see that I'm sexy." Aaah.

Staying with the romance – though I'm just not sure how great an idea this one is, given that they've already broken up once before… The rumours were true. Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson really are giving it another go.

Kate actually spent her recent 29th birthday with Owen in sunny Miami – with Owen, and his parents. Must be serious.

According to a source: "The four of them sat away from the crowds and had a blast. Kate and Owen looked very happy and were talking up a storm to Owen's parents." Later, out clubbing with girlfriends of Hudson's, the pair were apparently, "very sweet looking". Things were, "super lovey-dovey", it seems.

And the birthdays just keep on coming. Victoria Beckham just celebrated her 34th one with a week of partying, culminating in a very star-heavy party in Santa Monica last Sunday. Never one to shy away from being labelled a celebrity whore or A-list wannabe, Posh happily headed into her mid-thirties with such luminaries as Sir Elton John, Kate Beckinsale, Eva Longoria, Will Smith, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Gwen Stefani and Usher. All very, very close personal friends, of course.

No big party for Kirsten Dunst, but she's luckier than any birthday girl. I mean, who wouldn't want to be dating the delicious Ryan Gosling? Other than, you know, his ex-girlfriends…

"They were making out publicly," said an onlooker at New York City club The Box. "They didn't try to hide it." Damn, the rumours are true – they really are a couple. So much for Ryan's brief time as a single. I suppose I'll have to 'accidentally bump into' some other gorgeous NYC celeb, then.

Things could be worse, though. I could be a star of Steven Spielberg's latest blockbuster, 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. Then I'd be freaking out worrying about what ol' Steve would do to me if I ever lost my copy of the script. Bear in mind that the man has already sued an extra who spilled some secrets from the upcoming Indy, and reportedly cut the guy's part from the movie.

Now Harrison Ford's co-star Shia LaBeouf is stressing about it. "The joke I had was that Steven had snipers following me. And if I ever slipped and gave up any tidbits, that was the end."

Okay, perhaps it's not really quite that bad, but you know secrecy is pretty important to a director who gives you an individually bar-coded and watermarked script (to stop copying), along with a hotline number to call if you ever misplace it!

There's slightly less security on the sitcom 'How I Met Your Mother', but they might have to start worrying about obsessed fans trying to sneak in, now that Britney Spears is reportedly set to come back for her second cameo on the show.

Despite comments from cast members that Britney wouldn't be making a habit of appearing on the series, the producers apparently had other ideas (perhaps something to do with the extra millions of viewers for that episode, which earned the show its highest-ever ratings?).

"I thought she was great. I was very proud of that episode," gushed one of the executive producers. I can almost see the dollar signs in their eyes.

You know what, though? There really are a few actors who kind of like the acting thing – more than the pots of money and global fame thing. Of course they tend to come from the UK, rather than Tinseltown. Rupert Grint, for one, is very definitely not planning to leave Britain for the sun-kissed shores of LA, despite the potential boost it could give his career. The 19-year-old is already famous for his role in the 'Harry Potter' franchise as Ron Weasley.

But he's not keen to parlay his 'HP' stardom into A-list 'friends'. "I met Lindsay last summer and she talked about herself a lot admitted Rupert. "She said she was going to win an Oscar before she turns 25. I just kept thinking: 'But you can't act'." Ooh, burn!

"I haven't met Paris and don't want to either. She and Lindsay are the type of girls you need to stay away from." He really is a smart teen.