The 'People v O.J. Simpson' star reflects on the Kardashian fame and the trial's real-life effects.
Robert Kardashian Sr.'s story was truly a tragedy -- so says David Schwimmer.
The 49-year-old The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story star opened up about how the former football player's double-murder trial seemed to affect the real-life lawyer he portrays, saying it changed him "profoundly in probably every way."
"This is just my guess, but he never really recovered after that trial," Schwimmer told The Hollywood Reporter. "His health deteriorated, it ruined the new romantic relationship he was in. It affected him profoundly."
"I certainly made the choice as an actor and with the writers that the trial had a devastating effect on Robert, and he’s actually kind of a tragic figure," he explained. "He’s someone who was dealt a really bad blow by the entire ordeal and then not too much longer afterwards we lost him."
The former Friends star also revealed it's "ironic" how famous the Kardashian family is now, considering how private their father once was.
"It is ironic that his offspring became internationally famous. It’s also interesting that his celebrity was totally accidental and unintentional," he said. "It was inadvertently thrust into every household in America and it’s not something he pursued or even enjoyed. But who really knows? I don’t."
Though Schwimmer says he hasn't heard from Kardashian's daughters, Kim, Kourtney or Khloé, following the show's premiere, he hopes the reality stars appreciate how he portrayed their father. "I hope they feel that I played him with respect, that I tried to convey a real person with real strong beliefs and convictions," he said.
Schwimmer previously chatted with ET about the transformation he underwent to play the Kardashian patriarch, saying it was more mental than physical.
"It was a challenge for me trying to capture his spirit, and that, I think, is the most important thing as an actor when you are playing someone who was a real person who is sadly no longer with us," he said. "I felt a lot of responsibility, especially because he is not with us to defend himself and speak for himself."
"Luckily I was able to get it right and speak to Kris Jenner for some time and really get to understand who he was as a father and as a husband," he added. "That played a major role for me playing him."
ET recently spoke with Jenner, who exclusively opened up about the Simpson trial and her last trip with Nicole Brown Simpson. Find out what she said in the video below.