Los Angeles content creator Paige Thalia has gone viral after scoring a piece of Hollywood history – straight from a dumpster.
Thalia, who recently moved into a new apartment, was walking her dog near the Dolby Theatre during Oscars setup when she spotted large rolls of the iconic red carpet. In a stroke of luck, she managed to take a piece home for her own use.
“I just moved into a new apartment and was looking for a rug for a specific spot…but couldn’t find anything that wasn’t crazy expensive,” Thalia said. Security allowed her to climb a dumpster and collect the carpet, which had been discarded after the ceremony.
In her TikTok video, Thalia shows herself carrying rolls of the red carpet back to her apartment, where she vacuumed and laid it out on the floor. “It looks great. The mauvy red color of this year’s carpet is actually perfect for my apartment,” she said.
The video has been viewed over 4.2 million times, sparking reactions from fans amazed she managed to nab such a famous piece of Tinseltown. Some even tried to grab their own pieces, prompting organizers to secure the carpet behind fencing to prevent further “carpet thefts” in the future.
Thalia said she’s delighted with her find, not just for the practical rug but also for owning a tiny piece of Oscars history. “I hope people just do what they want to do. If you get a fun weird idea, go with it,” she added.
While the Oscars rolls are now off-limits to the public, Thalia’s clever scavenging has cemented her as the internet’s newest quirky hero.
