Why the Oscars red carpet was champagne, not red, this year

The wait is finally over for one of the biggest nights in Hollywood.

The 95th Academy Awards will kick off Sunday, March 12 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET at the Dolby Theatre.

Aside from finding out which nominee will take home an Oscar, the star-studded night is expected to have several memorable moments, including the highly anticipated opening monologue by host Jimmy Kimmel and performances by Rihanna, Sofia Carson, Diane Warren and David Byrne.

Here's what to know before the main event.

How to watch the Oscars red carpet coverage

Red carpet coverage will begin at 5 p.m. ET on E! and 6:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The E! live red carpet coverage will be hosted by Laverne Cox.

Following the red carpet, the Academy Awards will be televised live on ABC, as well as on several associated streaming platforms like ABC.com and the ABC app.

For those without cable, the Oscars will also be on Sling TV, YouTube TV, Fubo TV and Hulu + Live TV. Many streaming platforms offer tree trial periods that you can activate on Sunday, if you don't already have an account.

What color is the red carpet and why isn't it red?

This year, the Oscars red carpet isn't going to be red, marking the first color change since 1961. Rather, stars will walk a champagne-colored carpet.

Red carpet creative consultants Lisa Love and Raúl Àvila were tasked to reimagine the carpet color, opting to break tradition so the talent could better transition from daytime arrivals to the evening, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"This is about getting ready for the golden hour that follows the show," Love explained.

Kimmel told the publication that he's particularly excited about the newly-colored carpet, saying it's "a remnant, we got it for a very good price downtown."

The Oscar host also joked about how the new carpet would make it difficult for any unscripted drama to occur.

"People have been asking if there’s going to be any trouble this year, is there going to be any violence this year? I certainly hope not," he said. "But if there is, I think the decision to go with a champagne carpet rather than a red carpet shows how confident we are that no blood will be shed."

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the third time, the 2023 Oscars are broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood in Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, with the red carpet starting earlier. The 2023 Oscars are available to watch on ABC and various streaming platforms. 

Leading the list of nominees include “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” The list of performers and presenters includes Rihanna, following her Super Bowl halftime show, and the viral Telegu-language hit “Naatu Naatu.”

Follow TODAY.com for complete Oscars coverage, including this year’s winners and unexpected moments.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com