Washington DC [US], April 25 (ANI): Comedian, actor and TV host Ellen DeGeneres is set to reprise her beloved role as Dory in a new short film set in the 'Finding Nemo' universe, marking her first acting role since 2021, according to E! News.

According to reports, the upcoming project will see DeGeneres return as the voice of the forgetful blue tang fish, a character she first portrayed in the Oscar-winning 2003 film. She later reprised the role in Finding Dory, which grossed over USD 1 billion worldwide.

The 68-year-old actor's latest venture marks her first role since the 2021 mini-series 'Pixar Popcorn', where she also voiced Dory. That same year, she appeared as herself in True Story alongside Kevin Hart.

Since ending The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022, DeGeneres has been open about stepping away from Hollywood, particularly following allegations of a toxic work environment. She addressed the issue in her 2024 stand-up special Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval, as per the outlet.

'Well, let me catch you up on what's been going on with me since you saw me last,' she told the audience in the Netflix special. 'I decided to take up gardening. I got chickens. Let me see what else I can tell you about what's been going on,' according to E! News.

She then joked, 'Oh yeah, I got kicked out of show business.'

''The Be Kind Girl wasn't kind.' That was the headline,' she continued. 'Here's the problem: I'm a comedian who got a talk show, and I ended the show everyday by saying, 'Be kind to one another.' Had I ended my show by saying, 'Go.....yourselves,' people would have been pleasantly surprised to find out I'm kind,' according to E! News.

Prior to the special's release, DeGeneres, who moved to England with her wife Portia de Rossi in 2024, had suggested she might step away from on-screen appearances.

'This is the last time you're going to see me,' she told a crowd during a performance in Santa Rosa, California, in July 2024. 'After my Netflix special, I'm done,' according to E! News. (ANI)