streaming, cable and for free

The Oscars red carpet takes place on the famous steps of the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Here’s how to watch the Oscars red carpet in 2023. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ready for Hollywood’s biggest night? The 2023 Oscars is set to take place tonight, March 12th at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles. The anticipation for the 95th Academy Awards is not just for the ceremony itself, of course, but also for the pre-show red carpet proceedings, where celebrities show up dressed to the nines. Fun fact for you: The red carpet will actually be champagne-colored this year! Here’s some information on the 2023 Oscars red carpet and how to watch or stream it — whether you have cable or not.

When does the 2023 Oscars Red Carpet start? What channel is the Oscars red carpet on?

ABC News will start their special Oscars pre-show coverage with “On The Red Carpet Live: Countdown to Oscars 95” on Sunday, March 12th at 1 p.m. EDT / 10 a.m. PDT. (Note that the clocks move forward this Sunday due to Daylight Savings Time!) You can catch the coverage on ABC, which is available on all cable and satellite packages. You can also catch it on streaming providers like YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, and more — you can find out more about them on our guide on how to watch the Oscars.

The E! channel will broadcast its own coverage of the Red Carpet called “E! Live from the Red Carpet” starting at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. PDT. However, it’s not available for free; you’ll need to subscribe to a cable or a pay TV provider like YouTube TV and Hulu Plus Live TV in order to watch it — more on that below.

How can I watch the Oscars if I don’t have cable?

If you don’t have cable or satellite, you can watch the Oscars on streaming providers such as Hulu plus Live TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Fubo TV and DirecTV Stream.

Watch the Oscars on Sling TV

Sling TV is by far the cheapest option if you just want to watch the Oscars. The Blue package that includes ABC is just $45 (Sling TV in Fresno, Houston and Raleigh costs $40 instead, however). Unfortunately, only select markets will receive ABC.

Those regions include:

Sling TV currently does not have a free trial, but it is offering 50% off for the first month for new users.

Another excellent choice is Hulu plus Live TV. For $70 a month, you can stream over 80 channels and you get access to Hulu’s slate of original content such as Only Murders in the Building. That $70 a month also includes access to both Disney+ and ESPN+, which makes it even more of a deal. Like YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV also has unlimited DVR for up to nine months. Unfortunately, Hulu plus Live TV no longer offers free trials.

A favorite among cord-cutters, a YouTube TV subscription starts at $65 a month. This gives you access to over 85 channels plus unlimited DVR recording for up to nine months. If you want to get a taste of YouTube TV to see if you like it, there’s a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.

Alternatively, you can try DirecTV Stream, which also lets you watch more than 75 live TV channels, including ABC. It does cost $75 a month, but you can sign up for a five-day free trial to see if you like it first.

Watch the Oscars on Fubo TV

Though Fubo TV tends to focus on sports content, the streaming provider does offer ABC — so you can use it to watch the Oscars. For $75 a month, you can access over 100 other channels, too. Fubo TV also has DVR functionality, but you’ll have to pay for it: $10 for 250 hours or $17 for 1,000 hours. There is a seven-day free trial that you can use to try out the service.

Why is the carpet not red at the Oscars?

For the first time, the carpet at the 2023 Oscars will not be red. Instead, it will be the color of champagne. Organizers wanted to “reimagine” the event this year with a different vibe; they liked the champagne because it is a mellow and soothing color that wouldn’t clash with an orange tent set up for attendees.

Can I watch the Oscars red carpet for free?

Fortunately, you can catch the ABC Red Carpet pre-show coverage live on ABC News’ website without any sign-in required.

How can I watch the Oscars red carpet if I don’t have cable?

If you don’t have cable or satellite, you can watch the Oscars on streaming providers such as YouTube TV, Hulu plus Live TV, Sling TV, Fubo TV and DirecTV Stream.