Quack, pray, love: Willie and Korie Robertson are carrying on the 'Duck Dynasty' legacy after patriarch Phil's death

Yahoo

4 days ago

The Robertsons infamous motto "faith, family and ducks" has been put to the test during this season of life.
Faith, family and ducks: This simple motto turned the Robertsons into household names and reality television stars on the A&E series Duck Dynasty. But in this season of their lives, those priorities are being tested like never before.
When Phil Robertson, the beloved patriarch and spiritual cornerstone of the family, died at age 79 in May after a battle with Alzheimer's, it marked a profound moment of loss for the tight-knit Louisiana clan. Phil's death came just days before the premiere of A&E's Duck Dynasty: The Revival, which brought Willie, who is Phil's son, and his wife Korie back to television after an eight-year hiatus. The family loss didn't cast a shadow over their return, but instead, became a way for them to honor a legacy, hold each other close and find new strength in old roots.
"It's good and bad. There's sadness, of course, but also so much joy in what he accomplished," Willie tells Yahoo of his father. "Without [his] faith, our family would've fallen apart."
One thing's clear: While the dinner table may look different and the spotlight may come and go, the Robertsons remain grounded in what matters most. Their foundation is as strong as ever.
Branching out
The Robertson family skyrocketed to fame thanks to the hit reality series Duck Dynasty, which premiered in 2012 and ran for 11 seasons. It centered on Phil and his wife, Kay Robertson — affectionately known as Miss Kay — alongside their four bearded sons and extended family, as they built a duck call empire.
The 2025 reboot, which premiered on June 1, shifts its focus to Willie and Korie's branch of the family tree, including their six adult children and a growing number of grandchildren — at least eight so far, with more on the way. Willie and Korie are parents to Rebecca, 36, John Luke, 29, Sadie, 28, Will Jr., 23, Bella, 22, and Rowdy, 22.
"[Sadie] may have had the baby while we were talking," Willie jokes on our Zoom call. "Someone might've gotten pregnant while we were talking!"
With the season finale on Aug. 3, Willie and Korie are taking stock of how far they've come and how much life has changed behind the scenes.
"It's been really fun getting to do this as a family," Korie tells Yahoo of making the new series. "We're so grateful to get to do it with our grandkids... They're kind of the stars — in our minds, at least."
Willie agrees, though he admits he's ready for a break from the cameras. "TV's hard. It's a long journey, and we've been doing this for a while," he adds. Willie says he was worried for his youngest children and his daughters and son-in-laws, who were not used to being on camera.
'It's tough to [film] all that, especially for those with young families, putting this much time into it,' Willie continues. 'It's a lot of time and effort."
Still, returning to reality TV has had its rewards — from watching the next generation grow together to sharing big milestones, like Sadie and her husband Christian's gender reveal for baby No. 3 in the finale. And of course, celebrating life the Robertson way: big and joyful.
Returning to television as grandparents, not just parents, also gave the couple a different perspective. "We were a lot younger back then," Willie says of filming the original Duck Dynasty. "You're older now, and your kids are adults. Back then, we were teaching them everything. Now we're watching their personalities come out and how they handle work — it's really interesting."
Phil and Miss Kay are still very much part of the revival's heartbeat. "One special moment [with Phil] was in the first episode, where we had the last clip of dad giving us a thumbs up. At that point, he was already deep in Alzheimer's," Willie says.
Phil's impact stretched far beyond the bayou. "The man lived at the end of a dirt road, never used a cellphone, never touched a computer and still impacted millions," Willie says. "There's a video of him saying, 'Don't cry at my funeral. I know where I'm going.' So there was a sense of pride. His funeral wasn't doom and gloom — it was a celebration."
"It really was a celebration of life," Korie says. "Reading the comments [online] afterward [about Phil], it was inspiring. Behind the scenes, it's been beautiful to see the family come together. All the brothers supported one another, taking care of Phil and Miss Kay. It's exactly what the Bible means by honoring your father and mother. They've done that well."
They confirmed Season 2 will feature an episode reflecting on Phil's legacy.
As for Miss Kay, Willie says they're taking it day by day amid her ongoing health challenges. "Her health is up and down, but she's amazing — she keeps bouncing back. I think a lot of what she's going through is tied to grief and depression from losing Phil... But somehow, she keeps coming back — funny and feisty as ever."
Faith first
As the family rallies around Miss Kay, they continue to lean on the one thing that has always grounded them. Faith remains at the center of the Robertson household, and of the revival. "That's a big part of why we're still in entertainment," Korie says. "The first time around, we saw the impact — people telling us how meaningful it was to see a family of faith on TV.'
Korie says she believes entertainment fundamentally shapes our culture. 'That's why we do the podcast, write the books [and] came back to television. Our prayer is always to be a light in the world,' she says.
Willie jumps in: "And to show that you can have faith and still be normal. You don't have to be a preacher. We're not trying to convert everyone. We just live our lives and show it through how we love each other."
Married for 33 years, the couple's own relationship has been tested plenty over the decades. In this season of loss and joy, they've leaned on each other more than ever. "Korie's a good partner," Willie says. "You have to work at a partnership and put time into it. Especially when life gets busy, like ours.'
Willie says their family motto — faith, family and ducks — has meant more now than ever.
'We've seen it in our own families. When the marriage starts breaking down, it affects everything,' he says. 'That's why we say faith, family and then work — in that order. If your relationship with God isn't right, it'll show up in your marriage. If your family's struggling, that'll show up at work."
Korie says that at the start of each year, she likes to pick a theme to represent the 365 days ahead. She didn't anticipate her choice for this year's word would hit so close to home.
"My word for this year was 'unity.' That's been my prayer — for our family to stay unified, and for Willie and me to stay unified too,' she says.
That, in the end, might be the heart of the revival — not just of a show, but of a family choosing to show up for one another. In joy and in grief, with love, laughter and duck calls, the Robertsons are still doing what they've always done best: sticking together.