Ellen Degeneres Opens Up About Using Real-Life Sadness For 'Finding Dory'

'Finding Dory' comes out this weekend and we cannot wait (if you want tickets, head here).

Ellen Degeneres, who voices Dory has spoken with ABC News about how she brings the character to life using her voice. 

The talk-show host stated she hoped people were inspired by the film to “just keep swimming” through life. “Don’t ever just, you know, put up with something or just say, ‘Well, that’s the way it is'...then your disadvantage can actually be your strength. So if you have a disability, you should embrace what it is that — it empowers you in a different way.”

Degeneres also shared how much more difficult it is to act when just using your voice. 

Whereas an actor in a traditional role can use his or her eyes or body language to convey emotion, “with your voice, you know, you have to feel those emotions. You have to give that fish complete human emotions. And when you cry, you know, I cried. I had to cry. Because otherwise, the audience isn’t going to be in the theater crying when there’s such an emotional scene if they’re not involved and attached to that character.” 

As a comedian, she said, she was extremely sensitive and had “lots of sadness” in her to fuel a portrayal of sorrow.

To depict Dory feeling lost, DeGeneres said, she just drew on real-life experiences from the earlier part of her life.

“I didn’t realise I was lost until I started really doing some soul searching and, you know, reading the right books and going to therapy. And then I look back, and I go, ‘Oh, boy. I didn’t have anybody to help guide me.’ And I was lost. And I just found my way on my own.” she said.

One of the main life experiences Ellen experienced was coming out as a gay woman in the 90s. 

“When you’re gay and you’re successful in this business, your whole team says, ‘Don’t rock the boat. You know, you’re doing fine. You know, we know you’re gay, but, you know, just keep it down’ ... And I just thought, you know, what’s equally as important as my career is living my life without shame,” she said.

“The fear is that you lose your career. And it turned out, I did for a while. And three years seemed like forever. It seemed like I was — I didn’t have any money left, I wasn’t getting any jobs, I didn’t have anything. And I thought, ‘I’ll never work again. So I’ll start doing stand-up.’

She returned to stand-up. Slowly, people were reminded that she was “a writer and a funny person,” she said. 

Since then, she has become one of our most love role-models!

Source.