Long before the Robertsons became household names and sparked nonstop laughs through their hit reality TV show “Duck Dynasty,” running on A&E from 2012 through 2017, patriarch Phil Robertson faced an arduous journey.
Listen to the latest episode of CBN’s Quick Start podcast:
Far from the God-fearing man he is today, early on in his marriage to his wife, Kay, Phil was an alcoholic who almost imploded his life. Then he found Jesus.
Now, Phil’s story of almost losing it all, embracing Christ, and later inspiring millions will be told through the feature film “The Blind,” set to hit theaters nationwide Sept. 28. The movie pledges to tell the “true story of the Robertson family,” a journey sure to inspire audiences.
“I’m embarrassed by my past on one side, but on the other, I’m unashamed because my rotten sins have been bought and paid for by blood,” Phil told CBN’s Faithwire in a statement. “If ‘The Blind’ brings one person to know the power of the blood of Jesus, it was worth it.’”
Robertson family members began sharing artwork for the film on social media this week, with an official description giving a deeper lens into what audiences can expect.
“Long before Phil Robertson was a reality TV star, he fell in love, started a family, and began to spiral out of control,” the synopsis reads. “‘The Blind’ shares never-before-revealed moments in Phil’s life as he seeks to conquer the shame of his past, ultimately finding redemption in an unlikely place.”
In a Facebook post announcing the film, Kay said she loves Phil wholeheartedly, calling him her “pioneer man.” She also said the movie is a vulnerable look at the family’s origin story.
“This is our true story, and now we’re telling it all,” she wrote. “I can’t wait for y’all to see the teaser trailer in a few days.”
As for Phil, he, too, shared the movie’s artwork on Facebook, accompanying it with a special message for his wife.
“Miss Kay, I love you, and I’m grateful to my bones that you kept on loving me,” he wrote. “My family is telling our story the way it needs to be told — raw moments, rough edges, good times and bad.”
It seems the entire Robertson clan is elated for the release, with Willie Robertson, one of the couple’s sons who was a fixture on “Duck Dynasty,” expressing the importance of the film’s faith focus.
Willie took to his own Facebook page Tuesday to offer a preview.
“Our family story didn’t start with Jesus, but it sure will end with Him,” he wrote.
As CBN’s Faithwire previously reported, Miss Kay has openly discussed how, early on in their marriage, Phil’s alcohol use and infidelity inflicted intense pain on the family.
Miss Kay dove deep into these difficulties in a past Pure Flix interview, sharing emotional details surrounding Phil’s conversion to Christianity — a move that changed everything for him and the family.
She said things really started to go off the rails in Phil’s life when he went to college. Then, he wouldn’t go to church with her when she got pregnant.
“That was the beginning of the downfall of Phil,” Kay said. “When the devil moved in and he started changing.”
Phil was unfaithful and alcohol compounded problems, but Kay continued to fight for her marriage.
“I had to know that he was unfaithful, because I wasn’t that stupid,” she said, noting she didn’t want to throw in the towel. “I had an out. I didn’t want an out.”
The situation devolved — until Phil found Jesus. Read more about it here. And you can sign up for email updates about “The Blind” here.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***