The biggest stars in Hollywood stepped out on Sunday, March 12, to walk the champagne carpet ahead of the Academy Awards. But why is the red carpet not red? Keep scrolling to find out the decision behind making the carpet a champagne color.

Why Is the Oscars Red Carpet Not Red?

The 2023 Oscars marks the first time the red carpet hasn’t been red since 1961.

Creative consultants Lisa Love, a longtime Vogue contributor, and Raúl Àvila, the creative director for the Met Gala, made the decision to have a champagne carpet.

“We chose this beautiful sienna, saffron color that evokes the sunset, because this is the sunset before the golden hour,” Lisa explained to the Associated Press after the carpet was unveiled.

Jimmy Kimmel, who is hosting the awards show, also spoke about the change during the carpet unveiling. “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,” he jokingly told the Associated Press.

What Else Is Different About the 2023 Oscars Red Carpet

In addition to making the carpet the champagne color, the new carpet team updated the dress code for staffers, press and publicists.

The new dress code rules were revealed via email just days before the awards show, according to Yahoo. “There are design elements in place meant to highlight our nominees and guests,” including that anyone who doesn’t appear on camera must wear dark blue or black.

What Is the ‘Crisis Team’ at the 2023 Oscars?

One year after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock during the 2022 ceremony, the Oscars implemented a “crisis team” to assure that everyone is prepared in case any surprise incidents occur.

Academy CEO Bill Kramer explained to TIME during a February 2023 interview that the team had “many plans in place” if another altercation takes place.

Why Is the Oscars Red Carpet Not Red? Everything We Know About the Champagne Carpet
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“We’ve run many scenarios,” he explained at the time. “So, it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.”

Bill then explained the preparation process. “Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars. But these crisis plans — the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place — allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly. This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement,” he shared. “And obviously depending on the specifics of the crisis, and let’s hope something doesn’t happen and we never have to use these, but we already have frameworks in place that we can modify.”

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