Forget Moonlight and La La Land, N.B. woman real Oscar winner

A Saint John woman feels like the real winner of this week's2017 Academy Awards.

Sara Hayward was visiting the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Tuesday,when a security guard gave her a piece of the red carpet from the Oscars, held on Sunday night.

"I was in awe," said Hayward, who was on her way to Las Vegas when she made a pitstop in Los Angeles.

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Hayward had wandered into the theatre, where thenames of all the best picture films lined the walls.

Afterwards, she walked over tothe building's entrance, which was gated off. Crews were busytearing down the decor and security was keeping a close watch on the area.

It was there she spotteda smallpiece ofcarpet, which hadto be removed.

"A female security guard must have sensed my excitement to see it," said Hayward. "Never in a million years did I expect her to walk over, pick it up and hand it to me with a smile."

Hayward said the carpetis about 12 centimetres wide and60 cm long, and she knows exactlywhat she wants to do with the strip of history.

"I'm going to make it into coasters," she said.

A dream come true

Not only is Hayward excited to havepart of the red carpet from theOscars, she said it's extra special because ofthe prominent mistakes at the 2017 awards.

I could just imagine walking the red carpet.-Sara Hayward

In the first incident,a photo of the still-living producer Jan Chapman was used instead of the late costume designer Janet Patterson during thememoriam section of the broadcast.

And then there was thebest picturegaffe:La La Land was announced the winnerinstead of Moonlight.

"It's one that's going to be talked about forever," Hayward said. "Steve Harvey, who cares that he announced the wrong Miss Universe after this?"

Hayward, who loves the Academy Awards, has always wanted tosee the Hollywood sign and wanted to make sure she visitedLos Angeles while on vacation in theU.S.

"You could still feel the energy of the Academy Awards,the biggest night in Hollywood," she said."I could just imagine walking the red carpet."