Stars on screen
Last call: Cable television’s mostwatched nonfiction series in history is singing its swan song. “Duck Dynasty’s” Robertson family has delighted audiences since it first appeared on A&E in 2012, but for the Louisiana natives, the 11th and current season of the unscripted show is the last.
Currently airing on A&E, “Duck Dynasty” is set to take a midseason break after the Wednesday, Jan. 18, episode, and will return in March to air the final few episodes of the series.The series finale is scheduled for April 12, 2017.
The announcement was made by the “Duck Dynasty” cast themselves during November’s season premiere. “After five years, we’ve decided, as a family, for this to be the final chapter of the ‘Duck Dynasty’ series,” said Willie Robertson in the taped segment in which he was surrounded by his family.
In “Duck Dynasty,” a camera crew follows the members of the wealthy Robertson clan as they live out their lives and run their business. That business is called Duck Commander, and involves manufacturing duck calls and other duck-hunting merchandise.The company has grown into a multi-million-dollar business, while the show has brought the family fame to go along with that fortune.
Despite the controversies that have cropped up about comments made by cast members outside of the show, “Duck Dynasty’s” popularity has endured. It has inspired a retail line of clothes and other merchandise, and even a Las Vegas musical about the life and success of the Robertson family.
While April 12 may be the end of A&E’s “Duck Dynasty” series, it isn’t necessarily the end of the line for the Robertsons’ television career. Neither the network nor the Robertsons have ruled out future holiday specials, and with its built-in fan base “Duck Dynasty” may yet be around for years to come.
A ‘Rumered’ casting: “Empire” has found its latest guest star. Rumer Willis (“Hostage,” 2005) has been cast in a recurring role in Fox’s musical drama, which is currently taking a midseason break. It returns with new episodes Wednesday, March 22, on Fox.
Although she’s best known as the daughter of Bruce Willis (“Die Hard,” 1988) and Demi Moore (“A Few Good Men,” 1992),Willis has built her own successful acting, singing and dancing career. She’s had recurring roles in such series as “Hawaii Five-0” and “90210,” starred in Broadway’s “Chicago” and won season 20 of “Dancing With the Stars.”
In “Empire,” Willis plays Tory Ash, a singer/songwriter who is brilliant, volatile and becomes an invaluable help to Jamal’s (Jussie Smollett, “The Mighty Ducks,” 1992) efforts to create what may be his most important musical work.
“Empire,” starring Smollett, Terrence Howard (“Iron Man,” 2008), rapper Bryshere Y. Gray (“Drinking With the Stars”) and Taraji P. Henson (“Person of Interest”), tells the story of music entertainment company Empire Entertainment, whose founder and CEO (Howard) pits his three sons against each other in an attempt to choose one of them to take over the family business.
The music industry is a cutthroat one, and it’s even more so when family is pitted against family. Willis joins an already impressive roster of guest stars who have appeared this season, including Mariah Carey (“Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” 2013), Taye Diggs (“Private Practice”), Romeo Miller (“Romeo!”) and Sierra Aylina McClain (“A.N.T. Farm”).