She normally only ever speaks for one hour a day to save her chatshow voice, so we felt very lucky to catch up with ELLE favourite Ellen DeGeneres while she was in London for the premiere of Finding Dory.

And in case you're wondering, the sequel to 2003's Finding Nemo has been worth the wait.

It's the perfect antidote to all the doom and gloom.

So, who better to ask how to be happy in this month of misery than perennial optimist Ellen DeGeneres.

What would Dory do if she were faced with this month of gloom?

Man oh man, what would Dory do? I have to say that one of the beautiful things about her disability is that she forgets things immediately. 

She doesn't dwell on the past, and doesn't worry about the future. Which is something that we all want to do right now.

Ellen DeGeneres with Portia De Rossi at The Finding Dory UK Premierepinterest
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Ellen DeGeneres with Portia De Rossi at the Finding Dory UK Premiere

Are you, like Dory, cup half full?

I'm a very positive, optimistic person but this is a scary time with a lot of injustice. We can't be Dory and we have to do something about this. Everybody needs to stand up and say enough is enough.

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Do you feel like you're more of an activist than ever before?

I'm forced to be. I think we need to look at the injustice that's happening as injustice against anyone who's not treated as an equal. 

Whether that's a gay person, or a person of colour, or a woman. 

It's time for all of us to say it's not about gender, it's not about colour, it's not about sexual preference, it's about equality.

We're about to instate our second female Prime Minister, are you excited by the prospect of Hillary for President?

I'm not just excited. I'm praying. If we don't have Hillary, the alternative is very scary. We must have Hillary.

Hillary Clinton and Ellen DeGenerespinterest
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Are you planning a huge party if she wins?

She's already invited Portia and me to the White House so we're going there. I've never been, so hopefully I get to go.

She's actually invited me to be Vice President but I declined because I wouldn't get to live in the White House with her.

What's making you laugh on social media at the moment?

Clips of people falling down, any kind of cat or dog video. 

That's why we created ellentube because it's a place where you can go to lift your spirits.  Everything on there is feelgood.

What's the your favourite message in Finding Dory?

There are a bunch of messages but one of them that really matters is that your disability is your strength. 

I like the idea that you should embrace your supposed disability and the fact that you're unique. 

What makes you different is what makes you special.

What's your own Dory moment?

I forget people's names the whole time. I've been on the show and I'm blanking right in front of them.

Even with really big names?

Yes of course…but I don't remember who now.

We couldn't keep her, or her voice, for much longer but we did put ELLEN on an ELLE cover in honour of her #TBTs and she seemed to like it…a lot.

Ellen DeGeneres with her ELLE coverpinterest
Ellen DeGeneres with her ELLE cover

Finding Dory is out in cinemas from July 29th

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Hannah Nathanson
Features Director
Hannah Nathanson is Features Director at ELLE. She commissions, edits and writes stories for online and print, spanning everything from ’Generation Flake’ to cover profiles with Dua Lipa and Hailey Bieber. One of her most surreal moments as a journalist has been ‘chairing’ a conversation between Jodie Comer and Phoebe Waller-Bridge from her living room. The word she says most in the office is ‘podcast’.