There's a scene in the finale of FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson where, after the verdict is read and everyone bursts out of the courtroom, Robert Kardashian (David Schwimmer) runs to the courthouse bathroom and vomits in the sink. There's no way to know for sure if that particular moment happened, but the producers of the series explain that they wanted that scene to reflect the disintegration of his relationship with former BFF Simpson.
"One of the things we do know is that Robert Kardashian did not socialize or remain friends with O.J. Simpson after the verdict, expressed doubts pretty quickly about his innocence. And we felt like it was important to put that in that final day even if it played out over several months," executive producer Brad Simpson tells E! News' Kristin Dos Santos at a special screening of the last episode of the critically acclaimed series.
Essentially, says EP Nina Jacobson, that particular scene was a way for the writers to show the toll the turmoil of the trial had taken on him. Plus, there are some things we do know are true.
Explains EP Scott Alexander, "We know they were best friends. We know he never spoke to O.J. again after the trial. We know his face at the moment of the verdict—you can watch it on YouTube, and when O.J. is not guilty, Robert's face falls. He has a 'What have I done?' kind of face."
So while there's no way to know how exactly the falling-out occurred—after all, points out EP Larry Karaszewski, Robert Kardashian was the least documented person of the trial because he was the least famous at the time—that scene in particular was a way to see that emotion play out on screen.
Confesses Jeffrey Toobin, the journalist who wrote the book on which the FX series is based, "When I wrote this 20 years ago, I didn't anticipate that the Kardashian name would be the most famous one to come out of this!"
Press play on the video above for more on the finale's pivotal scene.