Whatever Happened To Dukes Of Hazzard Star Tom Wopat?
During the six years that "The Dukes of Hazzard" ran, Tom Wopat was a bonafide celebrity. Popping into homes all over the world as Luke Duke catapulted him into the limelight. He had roles after that, like recurring as Jeff Robbins in "Cybill" or reviving Luke for various "Dukes of Hazzard" media. Even so, Wopat quietly walked out of the glow of Tinseltown for greener pastures — though he made several headlines in 2017 after a series of assault allegations.
Both a gifted musician and actor, Wopat has trod many a Broadway stage in addition to his television and film work. Straddling both worlds has, in many ways, become his job. "Yeah, I was a singer first. I've always been a singer," he told Broadway World of his career. "Honestly, I physically enjoy singing. It just feels good. It's something I've done since I was a baby." Knowing he has always had an affinity for music, what's Wopat been up to since his Hazzard-ous days?
Tom Wopat has been making music
Although best known for his role as Luke Duke in "The Dukes of Hazzard," Tom Wopat, the performer, is so much more than that. In the decades following his big TV success, he's been making waves as a singer and songwriter in between acting gigs. According to the Murfreesboro Voice, Wopat now has 13 studio albums including his 2022 release. Aptly titled "Simple Man," Wopat's 13th album includes his own songs along with covers, like "Wait For It" from "Hamilton," per the outlet. It's a fitting combination given Wopat's Broadway history.
"I do what I like to do in a show," Wopat told the outlet in regard to how he builds an album. "It's songs that I feel that I can sing and sell. Either it's a song that has a ballad with a lyric or a song like 'Rita', which is a Willie Porter song which is kind of a rocking along story-song."
"Simple Man" follows a formula many of Wopat's other albums follow. For instance, his album "The Still of the Night" also integrates Broadway songs with other genres. These albums lend Wopat's dreamy musical stylings to familiar lyrics.
A rumored Dukes of Hazzard reboot
When "The Dukes of Hazzard" cast, including Tom Wopat, Catherine Bach, and John Schneider, came together at the Gallatin Comic Con in November 2023, Bach hinted at a potential reboot of the classic show. Well, more specifically, she said "anything is possible" when asked about bringing the show back somehow, per Fox News. Perhaps that possibility is because the show's three main stars are still so close.
Bach told Fox News that they're like family. "We have so much history and know everything about each other," she told the outlet. "Well, pretty much everything. The secret to our long friendship is caring. We have seen each other through the good times and sad times. ...I do count on my TV cousins, and I think they know they can always count on me."
A potential reboot wouldn't be the first time the trio came back to the show. According to Deadline, there were several films and TV movies created after the success of the original "Dukes of Hazzard" series.