Viola Davis Front and Center at the Vera Wang Show in New York

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Leighton Meester and Renee Zellweger, sitting front row at New York Fashion Week? This is not a surprise -- both are regulars at shows like Carolina Herrera and Vera Wang. And both turned up in center section "G" for Wang's fall 2012 presentation, shown Tuesday morning. What was unexpected, however, was the sight of Viola Davis and her husband sitting next to Anna Wintour and the Vogue editor's colleague Andre Leon Talley -- that's prime runway real estate.

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Now, when Wintour escorts a celebrity to a fashion show, it's because she's about to put them on the cover of Vogue. And the last time a star sat alongside Talley, he wound up styling them for the Oscars and Grammys (see: Jennifer Hudson and Mariah Carey) to disastrously overdone results! Note to Davis' stylist Elizabeth Stewart: please don't let this happen. Davis is looking great and we don't want Talley gussying her up like a couture Christmas tree.

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Davis, up for a best actress Oscar for her quietly powerful role in The Help, sat transfixed watching Wang's collection of diaphanous printed chiffons contrasted with boiled wool vests, bits of fur and more opaque fabrics with built-in corset jackets -- the actress had her head in her hands, staring at the visions floating by.

Afterwards, she confessed, "I'm not a glamour girl, but I do enjoy fashion and this season, I've gotten more familiar with it. It doesn't seem as foreign anymore. I'm coming to see the craftsmanship in it, and this was a new experience for me."

Davis didn't say whether she was doing Vogue shoot or not -- but we can pretty much tell what's going on there. As for whether she intends to wear Wang to the Oscars, she wouldn't comment. Still: we'd bet our Blackberry the designer is making her a dress and she's in New York to do fittings. (Perhaps Wintour put this together? Wouldn't be the first time. She's advised Rachel Weisz, Gwyneth Paltrow and other actresses on their Academy Award outfits.)

Zellweger and Meester, sitting across the catwalk from Davis and company, were briefly introduced -- and seemed like old hands with the journalists and paparazzi. "I actually don't get burned out on fashion," gushed Meester, sporting a Wang cocktail dress. "I still excited at every new look - particularly if I'm wearing it!"