John Atkin was born in Kitchener, Ontario. After graduating from high school, John attended Algonquin College in Ottawa, where he majored in Theatre Arts. During his senior year, he directed Richard Payne's award winning play "Curse of the Hardly Boys". After graduating from the theatre program, John moved to Toronto to pursue acting work in film and television. During this time, John also joined the Canadian Forces Reserves, serving as an officer and reaching the rank of Captain. John put his military training to good use on the film Codebreakers (2005), where he served as a military advisor and drill instructor, and on The Incredible Hulk (2008), where he spent two months handling prop guns in front of the camera.