In 2009, Abel shortly appeared in the Peter Jackson film The Lovely Bones based on Alice Sebold's novel.

Abel starred on the social thriller film Inside co-starred by Emmy Rossum which release on July 25, 2011.

He also appeared on ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy in the episode "Poker Face", playing Tyler Moser.

In 2012, Abel was chosen to play Ian O'Shea in the film adaptation of The Host (2013), based on Stephenie Meyer's eponymous novel.

[11] Abel was cast as the audiobook voice narrator for Midnight Sun, published by Stephenie Meyer on August 4, 2020.