Cover Story
Sadie Robertson Huff grew up in the public spotlight, living her teenage years in front of the camera as part of the iconic Duck Dynasty family. Now, she’s back with her own family on the revival of the hit television show– but this time around she’s part of the generation that’s all grown up and experiencing life with her own husband and children. Duck Dynasty: The Revival premieres on June 1, 2025 on the A&E Network and centers on Willie and Korie Robertson as they navigate life with a growing family of adult children and grandchildren while carrying on the family business and legacy in Louisiana. Huff is joined by her siblings John Luke, Will, Bella, and Rebecca, and their spouses and children. “It was a blessing to be on that show with my whole family,” she said, “and we’re excited to do it again.”
Growing Up a Reality Star. The original Duck Dynasty show ran for 11 seasons and attracted as many as 11.8 million viewers at its peak, becoming the most-watched “non-fiction” series in cable history. It told the story of the Robertson family’s Duck Commander business (a hunting and outdoor recreation company that first sold its signature duck calls and then expanded into a plethora of other products) and the antics– many humorous– that came from the family dynamics. It also stressed the importance of faith in the Robertsons’ lives. Huff was an original star of the show, featured first as the teenage granddaughter of Duck Commander founder Phil Robertson and his wife Kay. She became a household name from the show and built a well-known brand of her own as a young Christian voice. Looking back, she remembers her Duck Dynasty experience as a positive one built on family support. “I started out in the spotlight at 14 or 15, and it was sometimes a challenge to navigate. I imagine it was a bit like being the kid of a pastor,” she said. “I was trying to carry the legacy of my family well but was doing it in the midst of the struggles of life and high school.” The close-knit bond she had with her grandparents, parents, and other family members made the experience a positive one. “A lot of times when people get famous at a young age, they feel so lonely, but we did it with our whole family,” she said. “I had my entire family in on it with me, and that made it a real blessing.” Huff said she can look back now and see “so much grace” from the experience. That, in turn, gave her the right perspective as she journeyed into the next stages of her life– including the revival of the hit show.
After the original Duck Dynasty went off the air, Huff found other ways to share her life and faith with others. She became a sought-after speaker at women’s and Christian events and started her WHOA That’s Good podcast. “My podcast is the most significant thing we do. We’ve done it for seven years now, and it has grown so much,” she explained. “My favorite thing is to have a positive impact on people’s lives, and I think we do that through the podcast.” WHOA That’s Good is built around the idea of advice. She starts with the question, ‘What’s the best advice you’ve been given?’ and builds episodes around that. She brings in celebrities, authors, athletes, musicians, or even a family friend. “People are always looking for advice and if you’re looking on social media, some is good and some isn’t so good,” she said. “I want people to say, ‘Whoa, that’s good’ about what we’re giving them.” The podcast has certainly struck a chord. It currently has more than 40 million listens and is available on Spotify, other streaming platforms, and Sadie’s website www.liveoriginal.com/podcast. She’s also written books over the years and is currently working on reprints of her bestselling books Live, Live Fearless, and Live on Purpose. All of her projects– podcasts, books, speaking engagements, and counseling opportunities– are connected through her Live Original ministry, which she began as a way to be a “sister and friend to those who don’t have one.” “My hope is that through all of our different platforms, your love for God and people will grow and your knowledge of His love for you will blow you away,” the Live Original mission statement proclaims. “You were originally created by intentional design in the image of God, and I hope your confidence in that will continue to grow so that you can be all He created you to be.” Huff’s podcast and other work will continue during the run of Duck Dynasty: The Revival, but she’s excited that the new seasons will give her and her new family a new opportunity for ministry.
Back on Screen. The original Duck Dynasty show went off the air in 2017 when Huff and other stars decided to pursue other endeavors– but there’s always been an interest in the family, and fans have often wished for the show to return. Duck Dynasty: The Revival, which has already been green-lit for two seasons on A&E, focuses on family members that viewers have already gotten to know, but will expand into new characters, as well. “Dad [Willie] is now in the grandpa role, and most of the family pops in, to some extent. Uncle Si is in it the whole time, which is super fun because he’s really loved by so many,” she said while pointing out that her grandfather and patriarch Phil isn’t on the show because of his Alzheimer’s Disease and other health issues. Newly featured characters include Huff’s husband Christian and their two daughters Honey and Haven. “I’m super excited for Christian because viewers have never seen his personality,” she said. “In fact, there’s lots of new characters and personalities.” She met Christian Huff in 2018 while crab hunting with friends and family on vacation in Florida. They were introduced by their sisters, and attraction quickly evolved into love. They married in 2019 and welcomed Honey into their family in 2021 and Haven in 2023. They’re expecting their third child in the fall. The couple put serious thought into the decision to feature their children on television but said that prayer and Sadie’s own positive experiences helped them decide to bring them all on the new show together. They first shared their family on social media after a friend (who is an actress who also chose to share her family online) commented on how television doesn’t often show what a Christian family accurately looks like. “That’s beautiful and so true,” she said. “My parents made that decision for me, and I was so blessed by it. We had their wisdom and Christian experience there with us through it all, and we can do that too. We see it as an exciting opportunity.”
According to Huff, the new show will feature many of the things that were so loved by fans in the original Duck Dynasty. Action will still take place in the Duck Commander warehouse, at home, and in surrounding areas around West Monroe, Louisiana. “Episodes will now be an hour long, instead of 30 minutes, which really gives the action and characters more time to breathe,” she explained. “There’s more time to put in real things. While Duck Dynasty is always going to be funny, we also want to hold space for reality, too. This show will be funny, but tears will also be easy to see.” The show, she said, will also again feature faith. Episodes always end in prayer, and the show reflects the family’s priorities with things like church attendance and wholesome activities. Whether it’s seen on television or lived out in their private lives, Huff said that her mother taught her the importance of being consistent. “My Mom always said that it’s so important that you live what you believe,” she said. “The most confusing thing to a kid is when they see you act one way on Sunday and then acting differently on other days.” As Huff and her family move forward, she said that’s the priority. “We do so much together as a family,” she said. “We live next to each other, we all work in the warehouse together, we’re on the show together. It’s a blessing, and we want to be that example of a family that laughs together and is real together. We feel like God has prepared our hearts for this, and this is one of the best times in our lives.”
-Cheryl Wray
