Austin was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. From an early age, he developed a passion for film which led him to pursue acting in and during high school. He attended classes with the Company of Rogues Actors' Studio as well as programs at New York Film Academy and NYU Tisch. In the years leading up to his graduation, he received praise for his award-winning performances in "Helter Skelter", and "The Actor's Nightmare", as well as for his performance as the Man in Chair in the musical "The Drowsy Chaperone".

Thanks to his dual citizenship, after graduating from high school, Austin moved to New York City to further train and study on camera acting at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.