Willie Robertson is keeping the faith — and his late father’s legacy — alive on screen as ‘Duck Dynasty: The Revival’ prepares for its second season. The Robertson family revealed that the premiere would feature a heartfelt tribute to their late patriarch, Phil Robertson, who died earlier this year. For Willie, the timing of his father’s death felt almost divine. The show’s new season, which includes a tribute episode, coincided with Phil’s passing, just a few days apart. Willie explained that while it was sad to film without Phil, he believed his father would be proud of how the family had carried the torch. ‘It’s sad, but I think he’d be happy,’ Willie said. ‘He’d be happy that we kept it going — especially the way the show has faith as part of it, the family. Maybe not as many ducks as he would have liked with this next generation, but we’re working on it.’
Phil, who founded the Duck Commander hunting company that became the focus of his A&E show, died at age 79 this year. He had battled health issues, including early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond the ducks, beards, and laughs, Willie emphasized that the new season of ‘Duck Dynasty: The Revival’ is about bringing something wholesome back to television. ‘I think right now — I think it’s important for the country to see a family, to see a healthy family and to see joy in the things that come out of our family,’ he told Fox News Digital. Willie, who’s long served as the steady patriarch of the Robertson clan through fame, criticism, and comebacks, noted that their foundation remains unchanged. ‘The anchor has been, really, the faith that goes back to our three things that we started ‘Duck Dynasty’ with, which were faith, family, and ducks — in that order.’ Willie stressed that keeping faith first has always been key to keeping the family strong. ‘We’ve noticed that it helps. The stronger our faith is, it helps keep our families together… when the family’s together, it can help whatever you’re doing at work,’ he said.
Willie also reflected on the importance of family life, stating that the tight-knit dynamics they’ve maintained don’t just play out behind closed doors — they’re what fans see on screen too. ‘If not, you’ll definitely see it at work — you’ll see it show up, especially on a show like this,’ he explained. Even with busy filming schedules, the Robertsons have kept their Louisiana roots and family dinners firmly intact. Korie Robertson, the matriarch of the ‘Duck Dynasty’ family, recently launched a handbag line with Fount, but she emphasized the importance of family traditions. ‘We really kind of understood from the very beginning that this was something bigger than us. It wasn’t about you or me getting famous. It was about something bigger than us,’ Korie said. ‘And I think when we did the show, we had that prayer at the end around the dinner table — and we didn’t do it for some because we had it planned. We just did it because this is what we do.’ Korie added that they love to have dinner together as part of their family life, and the prayer that God used in a powerful way is central to their identity. ‘Duck Dynasty: The Revival’ Season 2 is in production with the premiere date to be announced soon. All 10 episodes of Season 1 are available on Hulu.
The article provides insightful commentary about how family traditions and faith are central to the show’s success and the family’s values, offering a positive outlook on the importance of these elements for society.