If the first season of “UnREAL” was about exploring “the princess fantasy,” the second season of Lifetime’s hit drama will delve into masculinity and the men’s right movement, the cast and creators told journalists at the Television Critics Assn. press tour in Pasadena.

The executive producers said the show will focus on the controversy raised when “Everlasting,” the show-within-the-show, casts its first-ever African-American suitor — something “The Bachelor” has famously yet to do. “There are few things more pressing than this conversation,” said executive producer Sarah Gertrude Shapiro. “I’ve heard appalling things about race all the time,” she said, referring to her experience as a producer.

The executive producers of the series, which skewers reality dating shows like “The Bachelor,” took pains not to name the show directly, but said they’ve been overwhelmed by positive responses from fans of the show. Series star Constance Zimmer said fans tell her, “I watch these shows differently now. I think about what Quinn and Rachel would be doing now. That’s a huge compliment.”

Added Shapiro, “There was the host of a certain show who doesn’t love us,” referring to “The Bachelor” host Chris Harrison, who famously criticized the L...rrible.”

To handle the emphasis on the male storylines, the executive producers joked that they’d flipped the usual problem in Hollywood: adding men to their writers room.

Season two of the show goes into production in March for a summer premiere. The first season of “UnREAL” will be available on Hulu on February 3rd.

Along with Zimmer, the show stars Shiri Appleby. Craig Bierko returns as “Everlasting’s” creator, Chet, who is on a quest to reclaim his full power on set; Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman as Jay, a field producer whose ambitions run far beyond the show; and Josh Kelly as Jeremy, “Everlasting’s”director of photography and Rachel’s ex-boyfriend. “He’s coming back pretty angry and gunning for Rachel,” say the EPs.

Casting is currently underway for “Everlasting’s” new suitor Darius Hill, an All-American football star, and the contestants including Yael, a gorgeous upscale hipster; Tiffany, a daddy’s girl and football player’s dream; Ruby, a shrewd contestant, not at all interested in being a puppet for the producers; Bethann, an Alabama born and bred patriotic girl; and Chantal, a prim and proper southern debutante. “Everlasting” will also get Coleman, a new producer and the series is also casting the role of Romeo, Darius’ street-smart and savvy cousin.

Hugh Laurie is ready to be a leading man again, as the “House” alum will star in “Chance,” a new drama for Hulu, which landed a 20-episode two-season order, Variety has confirmed.

Based on Kem Nunn’s novel of the same name, “Chance” is described as a provocative psychological thriller that focuses on a forensic neuropsychiatrist who reluctantly gets sucked into a violent and dangerous world of mistaken identity, police corruption and mental illness.

Laurie will star as Eldon Chance, a San Francisco-based forensic neuropsychiatrist. After an ill-advised decision regarding an alluring patient who may or may not be struggling with a multiple personality disorder, he finds himself in the crosshairs of her abusive spouse who also happens to be a ruthless police detective. In over his head, Chance’s decent into the city’s shadowy underbelly, all while navigating the waters of a contentious divorce and the tribulations of his teenage daughter, soon spirals into an ever deepening exploration of one of mankind’s final frontiers — the shadowy, undiscovered country of the human mind.

Hailing from Fox 21 Studios, the project, first reported by Deadline, is jam-packed with Lenny Abrahamson, hot off his Oscar-contender “Room,” attached as an exec producer and director for several episodes, plus Alexandra Cunningham (“Desperate Housewives”), Michael London (“Milk,” “Trumbo”) and Brian Grazer (“Empire”) all serving as exec producers. Laurie and Nunn will also exec produce.

The project marks the first series to land at a streaming service for Fox 21, which is currently behind Showtime’s “Homeland,” WGN America’s “Salem,” and FX’s “Tyrant,” “The Americans” and “Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll.” Fox 21 is also producing FX’s hotly anticipated OJ Simpson series, “American Crime Story.”

“Chance” is also a big move for Hulu, which is amping up its slate of original content. Up next is James Franco’s “11.22.63,” which debuts Feb. 15, and also “The Path” from Jason Katims, which stars “Breaking Bad” alum Aaron Paul.

Nunn, Laurie, Abramson, Cunningham, and London are all repped by WME. Abrahamson is also repped by Rachel Holroyd from Casarotto Ramsay and Laurie is repped by Christian Hodell from Hamilton Hodell.

“Chance” is slated for a 2016 launch.

Christina Hendricks has joined the cast of Miramax and Broad Green Pictures pic “Bad Santa 2” starring Billy Bob Thornton.

Tony Cox and Brett Kelly are returning, and Kathy Bates also recently joined the cast.

Mark Waters is directing the sequel, which is being produced by Andrew Gunn and Geyer Kosinski.

Broad Green and Miramax are co-financing and co-producing the comedy. Shooting begins in Montreal next week.

Plot details are vague, but Hendricks will play an Ivy League-educated, upper-class woman who runs a charity that is targeted by Thornton’s mall Santa and his foul-mouthed, tough-as-nails mother. Hendricks will also play Thornton’s love interest.

Johnny Rosenthal, Doug Ellin and Shauna Cross wrote the script. Miramax’s Zanne Devine and David Thwaites, Broad Green’s Gabriel and Daniel Hammond, Waters, Ellin and Jessica Tuchinsky are exec producing.

Hendricks can be seen next opposite Michael Shannon in the indie “Pottersville,” which has begun shooting, and she has a starring role on SundanceTV’s “Hap And Leonard,” a series based on the Joe Lansdale novels.

She is repped by ICM Partners, LINK and attorney Howard Fishman. Deadline Hollywood first reported the news.

John Ridley, the showrunner behind ABC’s “American Crime” and an Oscar winner for “12 Years a Slave,” has extended his overall deal with ABC Studios for three more years and set a first-look pact for feature projects with Disney.

Ridley intends to expand the scope of his banner, International Famous Players Radio Picture Corporation, under the new pact and bring on a dedicated development exec.

“We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with John, who brought us a show we’re so proud of in American Crime,” said Patrick Moran, exec VP of ABC Studios. “We’re very much looking forward to future collaborations with him and his team.”

The second season of anthology drama “American Crime” bows tonight. Ridley also set to begin production a new ABC drama pilot, “Presence,” next week.

The first season of “American Crime” drew enough critical praise to secure a renewal from ABC despite low ratings. The series grabbed 10 Emmy nominations and a win for supporting actress for co-star Regina King.

The new season of “American Crime” tackles a different case but with King, Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton and Lili Taylor returning to the ensemble.

Alison Pill is set to co-star with Jessica Chastain in the EuropaCorp thriller “Miss Sloane,” sources tell Variety.

John Madden is directing the pic, which was one of the hot packages going into this year’s Toronto International Film Festival before EuropaCorp outbid other suitors for the rights.

FilmNation is partnering with EuropaCorp on the film, with both producing.

First-time screenwriter Jonathan Perera wrote the film, which centers on a lobbyist’s efforts to push through tighter federal laws regulating guns. In the wake of the mass shootings across the country, the issue of gun violence is a national debate, making the project a hot-button one.

Ben Browning will produce for FilmNation and Patrick Chu will be the executive producer. EuropaCorp will fully finance the film and handle its distribution.

Pill can be seen next in ABC’s American political drama series “The Family” premiering in March and also stars in the Coen brothers’ ensemble film “Hail, Caesar!,” which opens on Feb. 5. She is best known for her role as Maggie Jordan on HBO’s “The Newsroom.”

She is repped by the Burstein Company and CAA.

“Being Mary Jane” is coming back for a fourth season.

The renewal for BET’s hit show was announced Wednesday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif., where star Gabrielle Union made a surprise appearance.

Season 4 will head into production this year in Atlanta, BET’s president of programming, Stephen Hill, shared at TCA.

For its third season this fall, in Nielsen’s “live plus-3” estimates, “Being Mary Jane” averaged 2.1 million viewers, a 1.2 rating in adults 18-49 and a 1.1 in adults 18-34. It ranked among the top five scripted cable series in all categories every week it aired.

Created by Mara Brock Akil, “Being Mary Jane” revolves around a successful broadcast journalist Mary Jane Paul (played by Union), and her professional and private life.

The show’s third season wrapped this past December.

Also at BET’s TCA day, Brandy Norwood had a panel for her new sitcom “Zoe Ever After” where she was asked by a reporter if Kobe Bryant, who appeared on her former show “Moesha,” could guest star on the BET series, now that he’s retiring from the NBA — she said she would welcome him at any time with open arms.

Destiny’s Child alum and “Empire” star Kelly Rowland also sat on a BET panel for her unscripted talent search show “Chasing Destiny.”

SND has come on board Nicolas Boukhrief’s WWII-set romance drama “The Confession,” the helmer’s follow-up to gritty contempo thriller “Made in France,” and Pascal Bourdiaux’s comedy adventure “Family Heist,” with Jean Reno (“The Da Vinci Code,” “The Squad”).

Now in production, “The Confession” toplines Romain Duris (“The New Girlfriend,” “The Beat That My Heart Skipped”) and Marina Vacth (“Young and Beautiful”). The period drama turns on a young woman who confesses, while lying on her deathbed, that she fell in love with a priest in Occupied France during the Second World War.

Boukhrief’s latest film, “Made in France,” follows a journalist who infiltrates a jihadist cell in Paris. Pic, which was shot before the Charlie Hebdo and recent Paris terror attacks, will soon by released in France. “The Confession” marks a departure for Boukhrief who is known for directing high-voltage, bold genre films such as “Off Limits” and “Cash Truck.”

A model-turned-actress, Vacth broke through with Francois Ozon’s “Young and Beautiful” which competed in Cannes. Duris, meanwhile, is one of France’s most popular and bankable actors whose credits include Cedric Klapisch’s”The Spanish Apartment,” Pascal Chaumeil’s “Heartbreaker” and Michel Gondry’s “Mood Indigo.”

“Family Heist” stars Reno, Camille Chamoux (“Superchondriac”) and Reem Kherici (“Paris or Perish”). It turns on Patrick, a legendary art thief who gets framed by his protege and partner, Romain, and elaborates a payback plan involving his two estranged daughters and a €15 million ($16 million) heist. Bourdiaux, a popular comedy helmer, has previously directed “Le mac” and “Un gars, une fille” with Jean Dujardin and Alexandra Lamy.

Among the four market premieres that SND will host at Paris’ UniFrance Rendez-Vous, which kicks off Jan. 14: Francois Desagnat’s “Roommates Wanted,” a comedy starring Andre Dussollier; Julien Rappeneau’s detective romantic comedy “Rosalie Blum” with Noemie Lvovsky (“Camille Rewinds”) and Kyan Khojandi (“Bref”) and Alice Isaak (“La creme de la creme”); Michel Leclerc’s “The Terrible Privacy of Mr. Sim,” a road-trip comedy topping Jean-Pierre Bacri, Valeria Golino and Mathieu Amalric (“The Blue Room”). “Roomates,” “Blum” and “privacy” will be distributed by SND in France, said Charlotte Boucon, SND director of sales and international distribution,

Of SND comedies, “Roommates Wanted” weighs is as a collocation-themed comedy from Designat, starring Dussollier (“Beauty and the Beast,” “My Golden Days”) and a new generation of French talent: Berengere Krief, Arnaud Ducret and Julia Piaton. A “generational comedy,” per Boucon, “Roommates Wanted” has Dusolier playing a retired widow who takes in some young adults roommates, for the better and the worst, creating unknowingly a new kind of family for himself.

Called “a sweet, poetic cat-and-mouse story” by Boucon, “Blum,” an off-kilter romantic comedy about two opposed amateur sleuths, is produced by CG Cinema and The Film. Rappeneau, who debuts in direction, is the scribe of Claude François’ “My Way” and Jerome Salle’s “The Burma Conspiracy” and “Zulu.”

Adapting Jonathan Coe’s novel, “Mr Sim” is a road movie charting a man’s spiritual rebirth with a top-notch cast lead by Bacri (“Looking for Hortense”), Amalric (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”) and Golino (“An Italian Name”). “It’s French auteur comedy and great fun,” said Boucon. Leclerc is best known for co-writing and directing “The Names of Love,” a racy romcom with a political background which opened Cannes’ Critics Week and proved the talk of France’s 2011 Cesars, taking best original screenplay and actress for Sarah Forestier.

At the Rendez-Vous, SND will also show Stephane Archinard and Francois Prevot-Leygonie’s comedy “Off Piste” with Jose Garcia (“Le mac”) and Julien Leclercq’s action-thriller “The Crew” Sami Bouajila and Guillaume Gouix.

Screened at the American Film Market and Tallinn Fest, “The Crew” turns on an armored-vehicle hold-up gang forced by a dealer to pull a near impossible hit, or their families will pay. School-skiing-trip-set comedy, “Off Piste,” a market premiere, is about a not very exemplary writer father pursuing his daughter after she steals the file of his latest novel. Stephan Archinard and François Prevot-Leygonie previously teamed on 2012’s “Amitiés sinceres.”

Also on SND’s slate are Hugo Gelin’s “Two Is A Family,” a London-set dramedy with Omar Sy and Clemence Poesy, and Tommy Wirkola’s “What Happened to Monday” with Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close and Willem Dafoe.

The National Board of Review dinner on Tuesday night in Manhattan doubled as a victory lap for an old Hollywood champ, as Sylvester Stallone was showered with multiple tributes. Early in the evening, Matt Damon—this year’s winner for best actor in “The Martian”—revealed that when he was shopping around 1997’s “Good Will Hunting,” the fact that Stallone starred in “Rocky,” after writing the screenplay, kept him from letting another actor from headlining his movie. “Believe me, they really wanted to take it away from us,” Damon said, as he credited Stallone with both his and Ben Affleck’s acting careers. He mentioned that studio executives thought, “God, Leonardo DiCaprio would be so good in this” of the screenplay he co-wrote. But, he added, “every time they said, ‘You can’t do this,’ we said, ‘It’s been done before.’”

Then came Stallone’s award for best supporting actor for “Creed.” Director Ryan Coogler took the stage with a sprawling introduction to his hero—he watched Stallone growing up in all the “Rocky” movies. On the first day on the “Creed” set, Coogler was surprised to see Stallone arrive with four pages of notes for a character he’s played since 1976. “He was like a malleable piece of clay, but a piece of clay that’s been a movie star for 40-plus years,” Coogler said. He said he’s often asked how he directed Stallone. “I still don’t know. I tried to see him for who he was.”

The National Board of Review gala, where the winners are announced in advance, is always like the un-televised rehearsal dinner for the Golden Globes. Yet this year’s ceremony at Cipriani 42nd Street, held as the Oscar ballots are due in mere hours, could actually influence the Academy Awards nominations next week.

When the NBR announced “Mad Max: Fury Road” as best picture last month, the selection drew snickers around the blogosphere. But that was before the action tentpole starring Tom Hardy became the surprise darling of many critics’ groups. Director George Miller proved to be the night’s best over-sharer. He said that Nicholas Hoult, who introduced him, had been suffering from a “tummy bug” and hadn’t eaten a bite. He also offered his surprise at collecting year-end accolades. “I didn’t think we would still be talking about it,” Miller said of his epic. “Yet here we are, still in conversation. In my home, our kids called it the National Board of Woo-hoo!”

Brie Larson continued her awards streak by landing a best actress statue for “Room.” “I’ve been working since I was a kid, and watched fancy things on TV, and never thought real people go to them—I thought you were bred and born into it,” she said. “I didn’t know a girl from Sacramento could make it this far.”

Jennifer Jason Leigh, named best supporting actress for “The Hateful Eight,” called her part in the Quentin Tarantino Western the role of a lifetime. “It was freezing, the costumes weighed 100 pounds, I was covered in blood and chained to another actor for six months,” she said. “Honestly, I’ve never had more fun.”

Ridley Scott, the best director winner for “The Martian,” described his film as a drama, a comedy and an action movie all rolled into one. “I’m proud of ‘The Martian,’ because it could only be fulfilled with my special team,” he said, including the actors who “made it fly.” Jessica Chastain introduced the prolific director, as she recalled the first time she saw “Alien” as a girl. “I remember sitting in my room with that borrowed VHS,” she said. “At that young age, that film had brought a novel concept to my childhood home—there’s more than one kind of role for an actress.”

Jason Segel shared a story about meeting Jacob Tremblay from “Room,” who won the best newcomer award. The 9-year-old actor recognized him by asking: “Are you the Muppets guy?” “I told him I was and we became fast friends,” Segel said. “Later, he came back eager to introduce me to his new friend Johnny Depp. I told him I was too shy. In reality, I was worried it would look like I used a 10-year-old to meet Johnny Depp.” Tremblay’s speech had the crowd oohing. Standing on a crate, he told the audience he needed a minute. “This is my first award, and that makes me really happy,” he said. “The mind of me is so blown.” He shared the breakthrough prize with Abraham Attah from “Beasts of No Nation,” who flew in from Ghana for the ceremony. Attah noted that after the shoot, one of the producers on the film enrolled him in a private school, where he’s now studying.

Cary Fukunaga accepted the NBR’s Freedom of Expression Award for “Beasts of No Nation.” He extended his appreciation to the producers at Red Crown Productions for standing by him, even as the budget for his indie ballooned due to unexpected costs from shooting in Africa. “You allowed me to make this film without trying to destroy the vision of what we were working for,” he said. “Thanks for protecting me.”

The night wasn’t without a pair of swipes at a certain Republican frontrunner. When emcee Willie Geist brought up the Twitter feud Samuel L. Jackson was having with Donald Trump, the actor offered a quip: “I’d say f—k him, but this is a polite crowd.” Later, “Inside Out’s” Lewis Black (who voices Anger) was presenting best-animated film to director Pete Docter, and he suggested that if he’d seen the Pixar hit as a kid, he would’ve saved himself years of therapy. “I think if Donald Trump had seen this film when he was 10, he’d be a better person today,” Black said. “For those of you who didn’t applaud, I pray for your souls.”

Meanwhile, Stallone, 69, managed to cement his status as the perennial underdog in his acceptance speech. He leapt on the stage, and gave Coogler a big hug. “You are the future,” he said. “I’m the past.” He talked about his passion for story telling. “I love all artists,” he said. “As we get older, we become better actors. Quite often, the opportunity doesn’t present itself.”

Google isn’t kidding around when it comes to internet-connected loudspeakers: The company announced new partnerships with Bang & Olufsen’s B&O Play Offshoot, Harman Kardon, Philips, Onkyo, Pioneer and Raumfeld at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas Wednesday. All of these companies are going to add Google Cast to their internet-connected loudspeakers this year, allowing consumers to stream music and other audio content directly from apps like Spotify, Pandora and SoundCloud, much in the same way one plays content on Google’s Chromecaststreaming adapter.

This is in addition to existing partnerships with Sony and LG, both of which already have Cast-enabled speakers on the market, and are going to update their device lineups in 2016 as well. And then there is of course Chromecast Audio, the $35...oudspeaker with audio input and that Google launched last fall in conjunction with a revamped Chromecast for TV adapter.

Chromecast Audio already supports multi-room streaming, making it possible to play the same music on multiple loudspeakers at the same time. In the coming months, Google wants to bring multi-room cast functionality to speakers from all of its partners. At that point, these devices will become completely interoperable, allowing consumers to mix and match and have speakers from multiple manufacturers seamlessly work together.

That’s a big deal for consumers as well as device manufacturers. Music fans increasingly use Spotify & Co. to stream their favorite tunes, but much of that listening is still happening on mobile devices, at times connected to Bluetooth loudspeakers. Wifi-connected speakers offer a better solution in theory — for example, music playback isn’t interrupted when a phone runs out of battery, or its owner leaves the room — but the adoption of these devices has been held back by a plethora of competing standards and confusing brands.

The ability to combine speakers from multiple manufacturers, and even throw a cheap Chromecast Audio adapter in the mix, also offers consumers the freedom to upgrade their system over time, and buy the best speaker for the job without having to stick to a single brand. Consumers may for example chose to start with a cheaper connected speaker to get used these kinds of devices, and later splurge with the purchase of a much more expensive stereo system from a high-end manufacturer.

A number of other companies, including cinematic sound specialist DTS and chipset manufacturer

Qualcomm, have been trying to establish their own standard for Wifi-connected loudspeakers. But so far, those efforts have been lacking many big names that consumers are familiar with. By getting everyone from Sony to Harman to LG to Bang & Olufsen’s B&O Play on board, Google may just have decided the race for the cross-platform connected audio standard.

That still doesn’t mean that Google has won. Not only are there still some other consumer electronics brands that are sticking to their own multi-room technologies, with Samsung being notably absent in the Google Cast camp. There’s also Sonos, the industry leader that has established itself as a kind of Apple of internet-connected loudspeakers. Sonos speakers only work with other Sonos speakers, and the company has established a loyal customer base with a very strong brand that’s known for its focus on design, sound quality and simplicity.

It’s very likely that Sonos will continue to do very well. But it may not be number one forever. And right now, Google and its partners seem to best positioned to take its place.