Jesse Lewis IV Finds Humanity, Purpose and Power in Route 187

After more than two decades working across television and film, Jesse Lewis IV is stepping into one of the most transformative roles of his career.

In Tyler Perry Studios’ Route 187, Lewis portrays Miss Stu, a formidable neighborhood matriarch whose home becomes a refuge for people with nowhere else to turn. She is protective, complicated, funny and deeply human—a character Lewis says demanded far more than a physical transformation.

For the Sacramento native and Atlanta-based actor, Miss Stu represents an opportunity to explore who society chooses to see, protect and understand.

“Miss Stu lives on the fringes of a complicated world, but she refuses to let people be discarded,” Lewis tells Caribbean EMagazine. “That spoke to me deeply.”

It is a philosophy that runs throughout his portrayal. Rather than approaching Miss Stu as a collection of mannerisms or allowing her identity to become the character’s defining feature, Lewis says he concentrated on finding the person underneath.

That responsibility carried particular weight for Lewis as a male actor portraying a transgender woman. He is careful not to position himself as a spokesperson for the transgender community. Instead, he describes his responsibility as portraying one individual with dignity, complexity and respect.

“You can’t play an identity,” he says. “My responsibility was to play Miss Stu with care, humanity and respect—not as an imitation, not as a stereotype, and never as the joke.”

A Career Built Over Two Decades

Route 187 arrives after a career that has taken Lewis through comedy, drama, television and film.

His credits include Netflix’s Florida Man, Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Southland, Queen America, Black Dynamite and Meet the Spartans. His previous appearance at Tyler Perry Studios was as Bootsy on Sistas, but Lewis says Miss Stu required something considerably different from him.

“Bootsy allowed audiences to see one side of my work; Miss Stu asked me to go somewhere more dramatic, internal and emotionally demanding.”

That opportunity did not come without years of uncertainty.

Lewis acknowledges that a 20-year acting career inevitably includes periods when the phone does not ring and opportunities do not arrive as expected. His response has been to build a life in which his future does not depend entirely upon being selected for another role.

“I have learned to build a life and a career that do not depend on waiting for one person to validate my talent,” he says.

That philosophy extends beyond acting.

Lewis is currently pursuing an MBA at Boston University, an unconventional move for a working actor but one he considers essential to the next phase of his career. He wants to better understand contracts, finances, relationships, ownership and the business machinery operating behind creative industries.

For Lewis, artistic freedom and financial literacy are connected.

“Being creative and being business-minded are not opposites,” he says.

Lewis ultimately sees himself expanding into producing, entrepreneurship and creative leadership, with an emphasis on creating opportunities for people who have traditionally lacked access to the entertainment business.

With Route 187, however, the immediate focus is Miss Stu—and what audiences may discover when they look beyond their initial assumptions.

In an exclusive Q&A with Caribbean EMagazine, Jesse Lewis IV discusses the responsibility behind his portrayal of Miss Stu, his faith, surviving two decades in entertainment, the business lessons he wishes he had learned earlier and why he believes representation must ultimately begin with recognizing another person’s humanity.

Caribbean EMagazine Q&A with Jesse Lewis IV

Caribbean EMagazine: At this stage in your career, what made Miss Stu feel like the right role at the right time?

Jesse Lewis IV: After more than 20 years in television and film, I was ready for a role that could hold more than entertainment. Miss Stu lives on the fringes of a complicated world, but she refuses to let people be discarded. That spoke to me deeply.

I come from a family history rooted in advocacy, education and a deep love of the arts. I believe art can do more than make us laugh or help us escape—it can create empathy, preserve truth and make us look again at people society has taught us not to see. Miss Stu felt like the right role because she carries strength and tenderness at the same time. She reminds us that dignity should not be reserved for the people who are easiest to understand or accept.

Caribbean EMagazine: Who is Miss Stu through your eyes, and what may audiences not immediately expect?

Jesse Lewis IV: Miss Stu is a safe harbor, but she is also a truth-teller. She sees the people who have been pushed aside, underestimated or made invisible, and she understands that sometimes protection does not come wrapped in softness. She has authority because life has demanded it of her.

What I hope audiences discover is that her toughness is not the absence of love—it is one of the ways she expresses love. She has a moral code. She is trying to create safety in a world that does not always make room for people on the margins. That is what makes her powerful to me: she is not asking for permission to matter.

Caribbean EMagazine: As a male actor portraying a transgender woman, what responsibility did you feel in developing the character?

Jesse Lewis IV: I took the responsibility seriously. You can’t play an identity. My responsibility was to play Miss Stu with care, humanity and respect—not as an imitation, not as a stereotype, and never as the joke.

I do not speak for the transgender community, but I do believe every person deserves safety, dignity and the chance to be seen in their full humanity. We live in a world where people are often judged before they are understood. I have a genuine concern for all people, especially those who have been made to feel disposable.

I am not perfect, and I know humanity is flawed—but I am rooted in my faith. I am a child of the Most High, and I love the Lord with all my heart. Even when I play characters on the fringes, I want the work to lead back to empathy, accountability and love.

Caribbean EMagazine: Were there women from your own life or community whose strength, mannerisms or presence helped inform your performance?

Jesse Lewis IV: Absolutely. I was raised and shaped by strong, loyal men and women who led with strength, faith, education and care for other people. They understood that love is not always soft; sometimes love is telling the truth, standing in the gap and making sure someone is not left behind. That spirit informed Miss Stu.

I did not try to copy any one person. Instead, I drew from the presence of people who could walk into a room and shift the energy without ever having to announce themselves. They could make you laugh, correct you, protect you and pray for you—all in the same conversation. That kind of authority is rooted in service, and I wanted Miss Stu to carry that.

Caribbean EMagazine: Why was it important that Miss Stu be a fully realized person rather than a joke?

Jesse Lewis IV: Because people’s lives are not punchlines. When a character is written or played only as a joke, we lose the opportunity to see their humanity, their pain, their dreams and their value. Miss Stu deserves to be seen as a whole person.

For me, it goes back to equity. We have to ask who gets complexity, who gets grace, who gets to be protected and who gets to be understood. I wanted audiences to see a woman with power, flaws, humor, fear and love—not a label. A character can be entertaining and still have dignity. In fact, I believe the most memorable characters are the ones who remind us of our shared humanity.

Caribbean EMagazine: What can you tell us about the moral code that drives Miss Stu’s decisions?

Jesse Lewis IV: Miss Stu believes people deserve protection, especially when the world has already decided they are disposable. Her moral code is rooted in loyalty, truth and survival. She knows the difference between what looks right on the surface and what is actually right for someone in the moment.

That does not make her perfect. None of us are. But she is trying to make choices from a place of care in a world where care can come with consequences. I think that is relatable. We all live in systems that can be unfair, opaque and flawed. Miss Stu is someone who brings clarity, accountability, protection and truth into the space around her.

Caribbean EMagazine: How has your experience within the Tyler Perry Studios creative environment evolved, and what challenged you most about Miss Stu?

Jesse Lewis IV: Returning to Tyler Perry Studios after playing Bootsy on Sistas felt like being trusted with a very different assignment. Bootsy allowed audiences to see one side of my work; Miss Stu asked me to go somewhere more dramatic, internal and emotionally demanding.

The greatest challenge was making sure I did not rely on anything external to tell the story. Miss Stu’s humanity had to be present in her silences, her choices, her protection of others and the way she carries pain. I had to stay grounded in the character’s truth. That is the work I love—finding the person underneath what people think they see.

Caribbean EMagazine: Was there ever a period when you questioned whether acting was still the path for you? What kept you committed?

Jesse Lewis IV: Of course. Anyone who has worked in this business for two decades has had moments of uncertainty. Acting can be beautiful, but it can also be inconsistent, and there are seasons when the work does not come in the way you hoped it would. I have had to learn that a pause is not always a rejection and that a detour is not always a dead end.

What kept me committed was my love of the arts, my faith and my belief that my work can serve a purpose beyond me. I was raised and shaped by strong, loyal men and women who taught me to keep showing up, stay prepared and bring value wherever I go. I have learned to build a life and a career that do not depend on waiting for one person to validate my talent. Route 187 is a reminder that perseverance, preparation and purpose can meet at the right time.

Caribbean EMagazine: What made you decide to pursue an MBA now, and what do you wish you had understood earlier about the entertainment industry?

Jesse Lewis IV: I am currently pursuing my MBA at Boston University because I want to understand the business behind the art. I love acting, but I also believe artists need financial literacy, transparency and a clear understanding of their value. Talent is important, but talent without knowledge can leave people vulnerable in an industry where information is not always shared equally.

Earlier in my career, I wish I had understood that being creative and being business-minded are not opposites. Knowing how to read the room, understand a contract, ask better questions, manage money and build relationships is part of protecting your future. I want more artists—especially people who have historically been under-resourced—to see education and financial literacy as tools of equity and ownership.

Caribbean EMagazine: What does “ownership” look like for Jesse Lewis IV, and do you see yourself moving into producing, developing projects or building businesses within entertainment?

Jesse Lewis IV: Ownership means understanding that my career is bigger than the next audition. It means knowing my value, asking clear questions, protecting my finances, building relationships and creating opportunities instead of waiting to be chosen. It also means transparency—being able to understand how decisions are made and having the knowledge to participate in those decisions.

I absolutely see myself continuing to grow as a producer, creative leader and entrepreneur. I love the arts, but I also love bringing people, ideas and logistics together to make something real. My goal is to create projects and platforms that entertain while also creating access, education and opportunity for people who may not have been given a clear path into this business.

Caribbean EMagazine: What do you hope Caribbean and diaspora audiences take away from Miss Stu and the world of Route 187?

Jesse Lewis IV: I hope they see a character who is multidimensional, deeply human and worthy of care. Black communities across the diaspora understand strength, resilience, faith, humor and the ways people protect each other when systems do not. Miss Stu carries some of that spirit.

I know Route 187 can be intense for some viewers, and I understand that. But I hope they look beyond the explicit moments and see the heart of the story: people trying to survive, protect each other and find dignity in a world that can be very hard.

I also hope the show encourages us to look at who gets overlooked and who is expected to survive without support. Violence, exclusion and injustice do not only affect one group of people—they affect all of us when we decide that another person’s dignity is negotiable. I want audiences to leave with more empathy, more curiosity and a stronger commitment to seeing one another fully.

Caribbean EMagazine: What do you want this moment to open up for you next?

Jesse Lewis IV: I want this moment to open doors to more challenging roles, meaningful collaborations, producing opportunities and conversations that connect art to real life. I want to keep growing as an actor, a businessman and a storyteller—but also as someone who uses visibility responsibly.

I would love to continue speaking with students, artists and communities about financial literacy, education, equity and the value of understanding your own worth. I am rooted in faith and in the belief that the gifts God gives us are meant to be used in service. If Route 187 helps me reach more people, create more opportunity and remind someone that they are not disposable, then that is success to me.

What’s Next for Jesse Lewis IV

For Jesse Lewis IV, Route 187 represents more than another credit in a career spanning two decades. Miss Stu arrives at the intersection of where he has been and where he hopes to go next—as an actor willing to take creative risks, a businessman pursuing greater ownership, and a storyteller determined to find humanity in characters others might too easily overlook.

His portrayal also carries a larger message: dignity should not depend on how easily we understand someone. Through Miss Stu, Lewis asks audiences to look beyond labels and first impressions and consider the person underneath—their struggles, contradictions, strength and capacity for love.

As Lewis enters this next chapter, his ambitions extend beyond the screen. Whether through acting, producing, entrepreneurship or conversations around education and financial literacy, he wants the opportunities he creates to reach beyond himself.

Route 187 is now streaming on Paramount+.

Follow Jesse Lewis IV:

Instagram: @JesseLegendary

TikTok: @jessewiththegudhair