Jesse Lewis IV lands defining role in Tyler Perry Studios’ Route 187

Jesse Lewis IV will play Miss Stu in Tyler Perry Studios’ Route 187, which premieres Sept. 16 on Paramount+ with all four episodes available at launch. The role marks a major career step for the veteran actor and places him in a high-visibility series centered on secrecy, community and survival.

Why it matters: - Jesse Lewis IV is stepping into a career-defining role after more than 20 years in television and film. - Route 187 gives Lewis a prominent platform on Tyler Perry Studios and Paramount+ as the series reaches viewers with a simultaneous four-episode launch. - The character of Miss Stu adds a layered transgender role to a dramatic series centered on community power, protection and hidden truths.

What happened: - Jesse Lewis IV will portray Miss Stu in Tyler Perry Studios’ Route 187. - The series premieres Sept. 16 on Paramount+. - All four episodes will be available at launch. - The show is set in South Winslow and follows people trying to uncover what others want to keep hidden.

The details: - Miss Stu is described as a neighborhood matriarch who shelters people who are broken or being hunted. - The character serves as both protector and gatekeeper, and offers refuge with rules, history and consequences. - Miss Stu is written as a Black matriarch figure with authority, humor, emotional depth and her own moral code. - Lewis said the role is the kind he spent 20 years preparing to play. - Lewis also said he approached the role with responsibility and aimed to honor Miss Stu without reducing her to a stereotype or joke. - Lewis said he wanted audiences to feel the person before seeing the transformation.

Between the lines: - The role positions Lewis in a part that asks for performance range, not just visibility. - A transgender character played by a male actor can draw scrutiny, so Lewis is framing the performance around humanity and care rather than imitation. - The casting also reflects Tyler Perry Studios’ continued use of character-driven stories built around emotionally charged ensemble roles. - Lewis’ comments suggest he sees representation as part of the work, but not the only measure of the character’s value.

What’s next: - Lewis is available for television, podcast, print and digital interviews about Route 187, Miss Stu, character transformation, career longevity and balancing acting with a full-time MBA. - Lewis hopes the role expands how audiences and the entertainment industry see his range. - The trailer is available here.

The bottom line: - Route 187 could become the project that reframes Jesse Lewis IV from a veteran working actor into a breakout character performer with broader visibility.