“Duck Dynasty” stars Willie and Korie Robertson understand the weight of legacy because they’ve lived in the wake of a powerful one.
For them, the defining current in their family’s story is not fame or fortune but faith.
And it all traces back to the unlikely conversion of Phil Robertson, who died at 79 on Sunday following a battle with Alzheimer’s. The Louisiana native was open about his past struggles with anger issues, alcoholism and emotional instability — until he surrendered his life to Jesus in the 70s, changing the trajectory of his life.
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“The faith was so fundamental, crucial to our lives,” Willie Robertson told The Christian Post in an interview just days before his father’s death. “Without that, there wouldn’t be ‘Duck Dynasty,’ there wouldn’t be a company, a business, our lives would look completely different.”
“We feel good about the life he’s lived, and he certainly does as well, and just the impact,” the 53-year-old speaker and author added, referencing the “thousands” of baptisms the Robertson patriarch performed in his backyard. “Such a powerful voice. He did everything I think God wanted him to do on this Earth, and he’ll be ready to move on, for sure.”
Phil Robertson, who’d often appear on red carpets with his well-worn Bible, was a fan-favorite on “Duck Dynasty,” which ran over 11 seasons from 2012 to 2017 and once ranked among the most popular shows on cable with as many as 12 million viewers.
After an eight-year hiatus, the Robertson family is returning to television with a new chapter: “Duck Dynasty: The Revival,” premiering June 1 on A&E.
The series picks up where the cultural phenomenon left off but with a deeper focus on faith, family, and the next generation.
“We were getting bored,” Willie Robertson quipped, explaining why now was the right time to return to television. “We had a lot of people who tell us all the time, ‘We wish y’all would come back.’ And once we all kind of migrated back to the office and started working together again, we thought, this could be a good time.”
“We want to be in every space we can, to be able to show people the love of Christ, the light that we have that we can reflect that, and I think television is a great way to do that,” he added. “Hopefully, we’ve inspired others to do that, as we’ve been inspired as well by others who have put that out there in a different way.”
The new show, an hour-long format shift from the original 30-minute episodes, provides a broader look at life inside the tight-knit Louisiana clan.
With all of the Robertson children now married and many raising children of their own, the spotlight shifts to how they’re navigating adulthood, marriage, parenting and carrying forward the family legacy.
“You’re going to see babies being born, and us dealing with the same things every family goes through,” Korie Robertson explained. “It’s real life.”
Though the new series will feature favorites, including Aunt Kay and Uncle Si, Phil Robertson will not appear on “Revival” — “he was unable to film,” Willie Robertson said, citing his father’s Alzheimer’s.
Originally dubbed “The Next Generation,” the series got a new name from A&E that the Robertsons, never shy about their faith, embraced wholeheartedly.
“‘Revival’ has that double meaning for us,” Korie Robertson said. “There’s the generational revival, and then the spiritual one. We hope our country is in revival, and we want to be part of that.”
Faith has always been foundational to the Robertsons’ identity, and it remains central to the new series, the duo said.
“It’s everything to us,” Korie Robertson said. “It’s not just something we do on Sundays. It impacts every part of our life. So yes, it’s part of the show because it’s the most important part of our life.”
Living life in the public eye is nothing new to the Robertsons. But this time, they’re doing it alongside their grown children.
“When we first did the show, there was no handbook for this kind of fame,” she recalled. “Suddenly, your husband is like a Chia Pet, and your face is on every product in Walmart.”
The mother of six added that despite the surreal aspects of celebrity, the family leaned on each other.
“We prayed about this as a family before saying yes to the revival,” she said. “We wanted to be sure we were still aligned on keeping our faith front and center.”
Like their parents and grandparents, the Robertson kids are evangelists in their own right. Willie and Korie Robertson’s daughter Sadie is an author and podcaster who regularly speaks at the Passion Conference, while their son John-Luke serves as the director of Camp Ch-Yo-Ca, a Christian summer camp in Louisiana.
The Robertsons say their parenting approach has always focused more on values than outcomes, something their own parents exemplified.
“We were more concerned with who our kids were going to be, not what they were going to be,” Korie Robertson said. “They watch what you do more than what you say. So we try to live it.”
Willie Robertson added, “I think people are receptive to us because they see that we really are who we say we are. We’re not trying to be something we’re not.”
Asked why their family continues to resonate with viewers in a secularizing culture, Willie Robertson, author ofGospeler: Turning Darkness into Light One Conversation at a Time, pointed to storytelling.
“It’s a different way to get the message out,” he said. “You don’t have to be in a pulpit to share the Gospel. A show like this can influence culture. It’s like the New Testament; small stories, but they change the world.”
Though the Robertson family has remained in the public eye since “Duck Dynasty” ended, with dozens of books, podcasts and even a film under their belts, Willie and Korie Robertson said filming reality TV again brought both excitement and trepidation.
“We had a family meeting where Willie kind of went into coach mode and scared everybody,” Korie Robertson said, laughing. “He was like, ‘This is going to be hard. You’re going to have to go all in.’ But we shot a little sizzle reel just to see how it felt, and we all came away thinking that was fun.”
Moments of pure joy returned quickly.
“Just the other day, we filmed something that had me wheezing laughing,” she said. “Rebecca is hilarious. People are going to see sides of her they haven’t seen before. One of our family mottos is: ‘Don’t take yourself too seriously.'”
Yet, at its heart, the revival is about legacy.
“Carrying on the family legacy isn’t about pushing our kids into the business,” Willie Robertson said. “It’s about letting them find their path. I didn’t join Duck Commander until I was around 30. Our kids are still figuring it out.”
The family business itself has evolved with “new ventures under the Duck Commander roof that have nothing to do with duck calls,” Willie Robertson noted. “But everyone’s offices are still side-by-side. It’s kind of fun how it plays out.”
What hasn’t changed is the family’s commitment to faith, each other and authenticity. It’s the same spirit the Robertsons hope will resonate once more with viewers looking for something real.
“Phil and Kay lived it. Our parents lived it,” Willie Robertson said. “They made it clear what was most important. And so it’s no surprise that when Korie and I came together, we built our lives around that too.”
“We are who we are, and we believe in what we believe in,” he added. “It starts at home. It starts with our children. It starts with your children. And hopefully it goes out from there and spreads even more.”
“Duck Dynasty: The Revival” premieres June 1 on A&E.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
