Abdoo was born in Detroit, Michigan.[2] Her father, Peter Abdoo (who is of Lebanese heritage), was a budget analyst for the United States Army Corps of Engineers and her mother, Mary (who was of Dominican heritage), was a homemaker.[3]
After graduating from Southfield High School,[5] Abdoo earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 1984 and later a Master of Fine Arts in Acting, both from Michigan State University.[3][6][7] She was cast in several college theater roles and encouraged by a professor to study improvisation. She went on to move to Chicago, where she joined Second City, performing first in their national touring shows and moving on to their E.T.C. troupe.[8] As a part of E.T.C., Abdoo won a Joseph Jefferson Award as "Best Actress in a Revue" in 1991 for her role in the production We Made a Mesopotamia, Now You Clean It Up, playing what the Chicago Tribune called "the show's meatiest part: an obnoxious, know-it-all tour bus rider."[9] She went on to co-host the awards ceremony in 1994.[10]
She was nominated alongside her castmates for a Best Ensemble Screen Actors Guild award for Good Night, and Good Luck.[11] In March 2008, Abdoo co-starred in the web series The Writers Room on Crackle. Abdoo joined the cast of HBOHacks as Josefina in 2021.[citation needed]
^Barbara Revsine. "So you want to be in show biz: How to make that first step up the ladder," Chicago Tribune, September 13, 1991, "Friday" section, page 3.
^Rick Kogan. "'Mesopotamia cradles laughs within its sketches," Chicago Tribune, May 30, 1991, "News: Overnight" section, page 30.
^Hedy Weiss. "Jeffs honor theater: Goodman's 12 tops the list," Chicago Tribune, November 15, 1994, "Features" section, page 43.
^SAG awards, sagawards.org. Accessed November 16, 2023.
