The small W-2 for acting will be treated differently than your other acting income.
The W-2 is considered wages by the IRS. The W-2 for wages and the W-2 for your day job are treated the same way.
The other acting income will be considered self-employment by the IRS. You will be able to deduct expenses against the self-employment income.
However, you cannot include your acting W-2 income as self-employment income.
If all my acting came in the form of a W-2, how do I claim other expenses from my "self-employment" that led up to me booking jobs? Such expenses like head shots, mileage to auditions, etc.?
What self-employment? If all of your income is reported on a W-2 and none on a 1099-MISC or other statement, then you don't have any self-employment income.
It sounds as if you are trying to deduct unreimbursed employee business expenses. As you may be aware, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated these deductions for nearly all taxpayers, EXCEPT qualified performing artists.
What is a qualified performing artist?
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Qualified performing artist.
You are a qualified performing artist if you:
Performed services in the performing arts as an employee for at least two employers during the tax year,
Received from at least two of the employers wages of $200 or more per employer,
Had allowable business expenses attributable to the performing arts of more than 10% of gross income from the performing arts, and
Had adjusted gross income of $16,000 or less before deducting expenses as a performing artist.
" See IRS Pub 529.
If you are a qualified performing artist, to enter these deductions, do a Search for 2106 and click on the jump-to link.