Willie and Korie Robertson Reflect on Family, Faith, and Phil’s Lasting Legacy
"Duck Dynasty" stars Willie and Korie Robertson reflected on the life and legacy of Phil Robertson, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 79 following a battle with Alzheimer's, and spoke on their upcoming series "Duck Dynasty: The Revival."
"The faith was so fundamental, crucial to our lives," Willie Robertson told The Christian Post in an interview several days prior to 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," he 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," he said.
"Duck Dynasty: The Revival" is set to premiere June 1 on A&E, eight years after "Duck Dynasty," which ran over 11 seasons from 2012 to 2017, ended.
When asked why the Robertson family was returning to television, Willie Robertson quipped, "We were getting bored."
"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," he continued.
"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 dives deeper into the Louisiana-based family as they navigate adulthood, marriage, and parenting. Phil Robertson, however, was not part of the show's filming due to his Alzheimer's.
"You're going to see babies being born and us dealing with the same things every family goes through," Korie Robertson told CP. "It's real life."
She also noted how the series, originally dubbed "The Next Generation," changed titles to "Revival," which ties in with their Christian faith.
"'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."
The couple added that faith encapsulates Robertson's identity and is central to the upcoming series.
"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."
Like their parents before them, the Robertsons hope to continue to commit to their faith, family, and authenticity which they hope would resonate with viewers seeking 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."
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Brad Barket/Stringer
Originally published May 28, 2025.
