Born on June 12, 1986, in Manila, Philippines. Abellana is the daughter of actor Rey “PJ” Abellana and Rea Reyes. Her grandmother is veteran actress, Delia Razon, who was born to a German father and a Filipino-Spanish mother. She graduated cum laude from De La Salle University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.

Abellana began her career as a commercial model. In 2009, she auditioned for Zorro, but GMA Network instead cast her in a lead role in Rosalinda, a remake of the Mexican telenovela of the same name. She subsequently became a model for Bench, also in 2009. In 2011, Nigel Barker photographed her for a photo shoot in the Philippine Tatler. She also appeared in the Philippine Fashion Week 2011, where she modeled clothes by Michele Sison. She has co-hosted SOP Rules, StarStruck, Party Pilipinas, the cooking show Del Monte Kitchenomics, and Karelasyon, a drama anthology series. She has also hosted the pageants Binibining Pilipinas 2010 and Miss World Philippines 2013. In 2013, she joined Sunday All Stars as a judge.

Carla is a contract star of Regal Films. She signed a 12-picture contract with the company. Her first film under Regal Films is Mamarazzi. Abellana appeared in her first horror film which was an entry to 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival, Shake, Rattle & Roll XII. In September 2011, Abellana starred in the Regal Films film My Neighbor’s Wife. By the end of 2011, Abellana also appeared in two films, both of which are entries for the 2011 Metro Manila Film Festival: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow and 2013’s Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story. 2014 she started in the Ensemble Romantic Comedy by Jose Javier Reyes “Somebody to Love” her alongside Matteo Guidicelli and “So It’s You” with Jc De Vera and Tom Rodriguez In 2015, she starred again with Tom Rodriguez in the Film “No Boyfriend Since Birth” her second film with Reyes.