Beloved talk show host Ellen DeGeneres would be reprising her role as the charming yet forgetful fish Dory in Disney Pixar's "Finding Dory" animated film, and if there's one thing DeGeneres wants fans to learn when watching the long-awaited sequel to "Finding Nemo," then it would have to be the importance of ocean preservation and valuing the creatures that live in it.
This was what DeGeneres discussed when talking to Yahoo! Movies during the D23 Exposition event held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
"I think that fish should be in the ocean. It's what this whole sequel is about: It's about rehabilitation and putting them back in the ocean ... And we have to protect our oceans. Hopefully that discussion starts with this film, because we really need to protect that environment," she stressed.
In the original "Finding Nemo" film, Marlin searches desperately for his son Nemo and encounters Dory on his journey. Despite his initial dislike of Dory, Marlin soon grows to appreciate Dory's friendship and the two make fantastic strides in finding Nemo. In the sequel, the story will focus on Dory and her family as the forgetful fish struggles to find her roots.
"Dory is searching for her parents - she realizes she has parents - and comes across some characters who are somewhat helpful," DeGeneres shared.
Some of these characters include Bailey the beluga whale, to be voiced by "Modern Family" star Ty Burrell, an angry octopus named Hank voiced by another "Modern Family" star Ed O'Neill. Then there is a kind-hearted whale shark named Destiny, who is the adopted sister of Dory, and she will be voiced by "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" actress Kaitlin Olson.
Meanwhile, Nemo and his dad Marlin, voiced by Albert Brooks will also return in the sequel, and other stars who will lend their voices in the animated film include Diane Keaton, Eugene Levy, and Idris Elba.
It has been 13 years since "Finding Nemo" hit theaters, but DeGeneres admitted that the hype surrounding the movie still has not died down, with several of her friends often requesting that the talk show host share her voice as Dory (and her interspecies jabber) to entertain their kids.
"They want me to speak 'whale' a lot, which is draining," she said. "It's hard to speak whale. So I speak whale only on occasion."
"Finding Dory" has been scheduled for release on June 17, 2016.
