Oscar red carpet producer, crew members set the stage for Hollywood's biggest night

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES -- The real heavy lifting has started outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Hundreds of people are already building and gluing and stapling and hammering - all ahead of Oscar Sunday.

Joe Lewis has been producing Oscar's big red carpet arrivals for 17 years. It's a job he loves - especially this year, since he's able to hire hundreds of crafts people after what's been a tough time due to the Los Angeles fires.

"I'm honored to be standing with you today and be in this business," said Lewis. "This red carpet is just a backdrop to bringing everybody in this film industry together. I think nothing more importantly than this year when everyone is grieving at whatever level, I think it is important to the community, important to the industry, important to Hollywood that we go forward. And we give people a reason to celebrate and maybe for just a moment, they're able to not think about the things that have happened to them in the past."

On Wednesday, Oscar host Conan O'Brien helped many of thehard-working staff with a very important duty: the official roll-out of the red carpet.

It's starting to come together... but there is one thing. Will it rain?

"We expect it to rain, George," said Lewis. "You know, forecast says one thing, Mother Nature does the other, we can't control that!"

March 2 is Oscar Sunday! Watch the 2025 Oscars live on ABC and Hulu.

Live red carpet coverage starts at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT with "On The Red Carpet at the Oscars."

Watch all the action on the red carpet live on ABC, streaming live on OnTheRedCarpet.com and on the On the Red Carpet Facebook and YouTube pages.

The 97th Oscars, hosted by Conan O'Brien, begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. and will be followed by a special preview of "American Idol."

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