Abbate gained experience in animation while working on
The Little Mermaid for
The Walt Disney Company, before working on
The Rescuers Down Under and
The Nightmare Before Christmas where she first met
Tim Burton. Abbate shifted to the United Kingdom in 2004 to set up an animation production facility for
3 Mills Studios. In 2004, Abbate moved to the United Kingdom to set up an animation production facility at 3 Mills Studios. While in the United Kingdom, she produced
Corpse Bride,
Fantastic Mr. Fox, and
Frankenweenie at 3 Mills Studios in London.In 2009, she worked on
Fantastic Mr. Fox. She was also the voice of Rabbit's ex-girlfriend in the film. Abbate later worked on Burton's
Frankenweenie, making it her third major project with Burton (alongside
Corpse Bride and
The Nightmare Before Christmas). Abbate has been married to
Tony Cervone, an animation director, writer and producer, since 2012. She returned to the United States in 2012 to serve as an executive producer on
Warner Animation Group's first feature,
The Lego Movie, released in 2014. == Filmography ==